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BAPTISTS, 



THE ONLY 



THOROUGH RELIGIOUS REFORMERS; 



JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, A. m., 

Author of "Heeoes of the American Revolution," 

"Baptism and Holiness," " Vessel unto Honor," 

" Sanctification," etc., etc. 



CENTENNIAL EDITION, 

REVISED AND ENLARGED. 



< «< ^» r» — >— 



..iW 



NEW YORK: 

SHELDON & COMPANY, 

8 MURRAY STREET. 

1876. 



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COPYBIGHT, 

JOHN Q. ADAMS, 

1876. 



PREFACE TO THE CENTEMIAL EDITION. 



The following Lectures have a peculiar his- 
tory. They were originally delivered to the Bap- 
tist Church in Caldwell, N. J., in the ordinary 
course of pastoral labors in that place, and were 
not then intended for the press. At the urgent 
request of those who heard them, the author was 
induced to give them to the public. They were 
delivered from meager notes, and from these, as 
his "copy," the author, himself a practical 
printer, set up the types of the first edition, 
which was published in 1853. As much of the 
matter was thus extemporized at the "case," the 
entire book was never written. The late excel- 
lent Spencer H. Cone, D. D., then pastor of the 
First Baptist Church of New York city, read the 



4 PREFACE TO THE CENTENNIAL EDITION. 

proofs, and so well pleased was he with the work, 
that he ordered the first fifty copies for his own 
church, recommending it from his pulpit as well 
as by the notice which appears among the "Re- 
commendations. " 

Several editions were printed during the few 
following years, and the work was widely circu- 
lated through the country, and seems to have 
given a new phase to the baptismal controversy, 
by directing attention to the great principles 
which underlie the action of the Baptist denom- 
ination. It shows that these principles, though 
based on God's Word, are constantly violated by 
Protestant pedobaptists, though they profess to 
be governed by that Word. Not a few of these 
have been led, by the perusal of previous editions, 
to see the utter inconsistency of pedobaptism 
with the principles of the New Testament, and 
have renounced it, and united with the Baptist 
denomination. Among these, several highly 
honored and useful brethren, now in the ministry 
of the denomination^ might be named. 



PREFACE TO THE CENTENNIAL EDITION. D 

The occurrence of our National Centennial 
seemed to the author an appropriate time to issue 
a revised and enlarged edition, especially as 
some years have elapsed since the plates of the 
first editions were destroyed, and during all that 
time applications have been made for the work, 
which could not be supplied. 

To the advocacy and propagation of the prin- 
ciples here presented, our country owes all it 
possesses of true greatness. American principles 
are, essentially, Baptist principles, and this is 
owing to the fact that Baptist principles have 
impressed themselves upon the nation, as the 
only principles consistent with a government 
divorced from ecclesiastical control, and recog- 
nizing the universal right to civil and religious 
liberty. 

And to the recognition and prevalence of these 
principles, the evangelical pedobaptist churches 
of our land owe their spirituality and moral 
power, in spite of the inconsistency of infant 
baptism, the legitimate and baneful fruits of 



6 PREFACE TO THE CENTENNIAL EDITION". 

which are nipped in the bud by the influence of 
Baptist churches. 

"With the earnest prayer that the present edi- 
tion may be as useful, at least, as previous ones, 
in leading Christians of every name to the knowl- 
edge and practice of Bible truth, the work is 
commended to the blessing of God, and the can- 
did consideration of the reader. 

J. Q. A. 

Newburgh, N. Y., 1876. 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 

From the Fifth Edition, Published in October, 

1856. 



From Key. Spencer H. Cone, D. D. 

" We have read this little book with more than ordi- 
nary gratification. It treats an important subject in a 
Scriptural and logical manner. There is no attempt to 
conceal or modify our denominational principles ; they 
are stated kindly and persuasively, yet with a manliness 
and earnestness worthy of all praise. We suggest the 
expediency of stereotyping the work, printing it in a 
cheap form and circulating it by thousands. ' Christian 
baptism is immersion only ; if it is right to preach it, it is 
right to print it :' — that is my creed ; and without either 
violating it or covering it up, I can heartily commend 
this plain, straightforward production of our young 
ministering brother to all who wish to ' buy the truth 
and sell it not'/ " 



From Ret. Archibald Maclay, D. D. 

" With the work of Brother Adams, entitled " Bap- 
tists Thorough Reformers," I am decidedly well 
pleased. I have perused it with great satisfaction, and 
consider the reasoning contained in it the most con- 
clusive I have ever read. It is just the book for the 
times. I can cheerfully recommend it." 



Vlll RECOMMENDATIONS. 



From the N. Y. Recorder. 

"Baptists Thorough Religious Reformers : By John 
Quincy Adams. — Mr. Adams illustrates in himself sev- 
eral things : that practical printers make clear, straight- 
forward writers — that Pedobaptists who sacrifice some- 
thing for their convictions, make thorough Baptists — 
and that he is the strongest Baptist of all, who, passing 
far down beneath philological questions, in which some 
shallow opponents think they see all there is of Baptist 
doctrines, sees and comprehends the principles which 
are embodied in the denomination, as in the primitive 
church. All these characteristics, illustrated in Mr. 
Adams personally, are transferred to his book. It is 
clear and straightforward — it is thoroughly Baptist — 
and it is so, not on grounds of philology merely, but of 
those foundation principles which belong to the king- 
dom of Christ. The volume is suggestive and valuable 
and will be read with interest and advantage." 



From the Michigan Christian Herald, Detroit. 

" The Baptists have not hitherto performed their 
share of book-work. They are, however, retrieving 
their character. This work, from the pen of Rev. John 
Quincy Adams, is the result of a course of lectures. It 
is written in a plain, clear, straightforward style, and is 
an earnest and honest exposition of the great principles 
of Baptists. The author was formerly a Pedobaptist, 
and in changing his church relation, he has been led to 
look more intelligently into the principles of the Bap- 
tists, than many who have not had the same reasons to 
study them. The book should be in the hands of every 
Baptist family." 



RECOMMENDATIONS. IX 



From the Gospel Banner, St. Lends, Mb. 

" The author, John Q. Adams, is a man of clear per- 
ceptive powers. He looks into a subject, not at one. He 
digs down beneath the surface, and has something to do 
with principles, which, like roots interlaced, form the 
strong support of the Christian tree. His subject has 
been for years a central thought, around which other 
thoughts have gathered. It grows naturally ; he treats 
it with a master-hand. It is a book you all need. Buy 
it." 



From the Tennessee Baptist, NasJwitle, Term. 

" We read this book with much interest and satis- 
faction. The arrangement of the themes is admirable, 
the discussion of the various topics is bold, clear, earn- 
est, and satisfactory. It presents Baptist principles in 
an imposing and interesting light, and in this is well 
calculated to do good. This book should be circulated by 
tens of thousands. It should be scattered broadcast over 
the whole land. We shall be glad to see it introduced 
into the South and West, and we hope our booksellers 
will order large supplies. Instead of pursuing a time- 
serving policy, Mr. Adams speaks right out, and pro- 
claims our principles to the world, though surrounded 
by the most adverse circumstances. We honor him for 
his fidelity and fearlessness. May such men be multi- 
plied." 

From the N. Y. Chronicle. 

"This work presents the distinctive features of the 
Baptist denomination in a new light, and should be read 
by every Protestant." 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



From the Christian (Quarterly) Review. 

" We are here presented with a small volume contain- 
ing great and weighty principles, which cannot fail of 
commending themselves to the judgment of the judi- 
cious reader. Had the Reformation been carried forward 
on these principles, the opposing obstacles to the union 
of God's people, and, consequently, to the prevalence of 
the Gospel, had been taken out of the way. The volume 
is valuable and will repay a careful perusal/' 



[In addition to the above notices many others of subse- 
quent editions have been received. 

When the author was in London, in August, 1868, Rev. 
C. H. Spurgeon informed him that he had used " Bap- 
tists Thorough Reformers " as a text book in his Pastor's 
College, regarding it as the best Manual of Baptist prin- 
ciples he had met.] 



CONTENTS. 



LECTURE I. £age 

The Aim, the Reproach, and the Triumph of the 
Religious Reformer 13 

LECTURE II. 

The Reception which should be given to the Reli- 
gious Reformer 26 

LECTURE III. 
The Weapons of the Religious Reformer 38 

LECTURE IV. 

The First Feature of the Reform at which Baptists 
Aim — The Exaltation of the Word of God above 
Tradition 51 

LECTURE V. 

The Second Feature, etc. — The Restoration of the 
Spirituality of Christ's Kingdom 69 

LECTURE VI. 

The Third Feature, etc. — The Propagation of Reli- 
gious Liberty and the Rights of Conscience 87 

LECTURE VII. 

The Fourth Feature, etc. — The Establishment of 
the Equality of Christ's Disciples Ill 



Xll CONTENTS. 

LECTURE VIII. page 

The Fifth Feature, etc.— The Establishment of the 
Correct Principle of Biblical Translation 127 

LECTURE IX. 

The Sixth Feature, etc. — The Restoration of the 
Order of the Primitive Churches 4 . . . 147 

LECTURE X. 

God's Displeasure with those who Remain Sinfully 
Neutral in a Work of Reform — Conclusion 167 



BAPTISTS 

THOROUGH REFORMERS, 



LECTUEE I. 

THE AIM, THE REPROACH, AND THE TRIUMPH OF 
THE RELIGIOUS REFORMER. 

" These that have turned the world upside down, are 
come hither also." — Acts xvii. 6. 

It has always been the policy of the advo- 
cates of error, when unable to sustain them- 
selves by sophistry, specious reasoning and false 
logic, to stigmatize the advocates of the truth 
as innovators, disturbers of the peace, and dan- 
gerous to the harmony and interests of the com- 
munity. Such was the course pursued by those 
who uttered the language of the text. Paul 
and Silas, having been released from the Mace- 
donian prison, where they had been confined 
for preaching the Gospel, took their departure 
from Philippi, and passing through Amphipolis 
and Apollonia, " they came to Thessalonica, 



14 BAPTISTS 

where was a synagogue of the Jews. 5 ' Here 
Paul, according to his usual custom, met the 
Jewish rabbis and teachers, and reasoned with 
them out of the Old Testament Scriptures, con- 
cerning Jesus of Nazareth — proving to thern 
that he was the Messiah. His reasoning on 
this subject was so forcible, that many of the 
Jews were convinced, and professed their faith 
in the Saviour. This stirred up the hatred and 
envy of the discomfited rabbis ; and, finding 
themselves unable to cope with the superior 
logic and masterly reasoning of Paul, they en- 
listed the prejudices of the rabble, and gathered 
a mob, and created a riot, and endeavored to 
lay violent hands on the disciples, and thus 
accomplish b} r force and superior numbers, 
what they could not effect by fair argument. 
Their accusation against the disciples is con- 
tained in the words of the text : " These that 
have turned the world upside down, are come 
hither also." My theme is, 

The Aim, the Reproach, and the Triumph 
of the Religious Reformer. 

I. The Aim of the Religious Reformer. A 
Reformer is one who seeks to remove abuses 
which have crept into an organization or com- 
munity, or one who boldly enters a field where 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 15 

error has held undisputed sway, and fearlessly 
wields amid giant powers of opposition, the 
weapons of truth. He aims to entirely revolu- 
tionize the minds of the community in which he 
labors, on that particular subject where he be- 
lieves reform to be needed. A compromise 
between truth and error is not what he seeks, 
and will not satisfy him. u The truth, the 
whole truth, and nothing but the truth," is his 
motto. Old systems of error, however sacred 
on account of their antiquity, he boldly attacks. 
Though massive darkness has long brooded over 
the people, he aims to dissipate the gloom, and 
shed upon them brilliant rays of light, His 
work is a mighty one ; the end for which he 
labors is noble and sublime. He holds a posi- 
tion in advance of the community in which he 
resides, and the age in which he lives — hence he 
possesses traits of character that are peculiar, 
which fit him to toil and suffer for the accom- 
plishment of his designs. 

A spirit of noble daring is his. He fears 
not to grapple with errror, though sanctioned 
by age, and supported by popular favor. He 
scruples not, if need be, to stand alone, as the 
champion of truth. With undaunted intre- 
pidity he braves the " world's dread laugh" or 
meets its frown. With a spirit of indomitable 



16 BAPTISTS 

perseverance, he steadily adheres to his purpose 
and determinedly pursues his single object. 
Every obstacle thrown across his path affords 
a new incentive to increased activity. Every 
difficulty he meets, only gives new strength 
and inspires fresh courage. He is not to be 
turned aside. Having put his hand to the 
plough, he looks not back. 

Self-sacrificing effort and benevolent labor 
are his. His time, talents, property, are all 
laid upon the altar of truth. He toils, not to 
achieve a name, to amass wealth, or to advance 
a sect. He labors for the good of others, while 
often he receives only their hatred, reproach and 
persecution. If there is one picture on earth 
that reminds us, more than any other, of the 
meek and lowly Saviour, it is the spirit and 
conduct of the reformer, patiently suffering at 
the hands of those whose moral elevation he 
labors to effect. And here is the test by which 
the true and false reformer may be tried and 
discovered. Infidelity boasts of seeking a re- 
form. But when did Infidelity ever inspire its 
advocates with a spirit of self-denial for the 
good of others ? Where are its sacrifices made 
to benefit and elevate the human race? Did 
infidelity ever suffer to benefit man ? Does it 
to-day go forth, as an angel of mercy, to labor, 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 17 

to suffer, and to bless ? No, no. Bat the true 
reformer has a high purpose, a benevolent aim ; 
he occupies holy ground, and he can suffer, 
unjustly suffer, to benefit his fellow-men. Let 
us notice, 

II. The Reproach of the Reformer. All 
Reforms are attended with agitation and con- 
flict, but none more so than reforms in relig- 
ion. At first, the reformer may attract but 
little attention. His attacks on error may ap- 
pear so feeble, and his efforts to advance the 
truth may seem so faint, that the opponents of 
truth may esteem only the smile of ridicule and 
scorn necessary to throw his work into insignifi- 
cance, or a slight exertion of authority suffi- 
cient to extinguish it. But let him continue 
with boldness, energy and eloquence, to plead 
for truth and begin to make an impression 
upon the public mind, and gather adherents 
around him ; then will his adversaries become 
agitated and alarmed. Like the fierce storm, 
lashing into foam the waters of the mighty 
deep, they stir up the popular mind, until the 
entire commuuity moves in angry surges, and 
persecution and violence ensue. The more 
bold the onset, the more forcible the elucida- 
tion of truth, the more numerous the adherents 



18 BAPTISTS 

to the reform, the more fiercely will the advo- 
cates of error oppose the effort, and the more 
desperately will they seek to crush by force, or 
circumvent by cunning, what they cannot mas- 
ter by argument, or defeat by sound logic. 

In such an event, the reformer labors 
under every disadvantage. He is reproached 
as a disturher of the ptiblie peace. He is re- 
garded as the cause of all the confusion and 
uproar, and must bear all the odium connected 
with it. Look at the text and its connection. 
The disciples had peacefully taught in the syn- 
agogue in Thessalonica, yet all the uproar w T as 
charged upon them : " These that have turned 
the world upside down, are come hither also." 
Thus it has ever been. The opposers of reform 
have lashed into fury the elements of political 
strife, and then have charged the peace-loving 
disciples of truth with all the disastrous results. 

The reformer is also reproached as an in- 
novator. He is opposing old customs and pop- 
ular usages. He seems to be ruthlessly tram- 
pling on all that has been held beautiful and 
venerable. He seems to be setting up indi- 
vidual and novel opinions against the united 
and established wisdom of ages. He seems 
to be destroying everything and advancing noth- 
ing. He seems to be a reckless intruder, tres- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 19 

passing on ground rightfully occupied by others. 
He seems to touch sacred things with an 
impious hand. He seems to be sowing dis- 
sensions, destroying hallowed institutions, and 
introducing unauthorized innovations. But he 
perceives that these old forms and venerated 
institutions are the offspring of error, and that 
truth and right demand their extermination; 
in the name of God, therefore, he goes forth, to 
overturn, to revolutionize, and to reform. 

He is further reproached as illiberal, un- 
charitable, bigoted, and narrow-minded. Be- 
cause lie refuses to call error truth, and dark- 
ness light, and wrong right, the slaves of error, 
the victims of darkness, and the followers of 
wrong conclude that he is uncharitable and 
narrow-minded. They forget that it is the 
highest charity to expose error and oppose 
wrong, and that only the largest minds and 
most benevolent hearts will seek to dissemi- 
nate light and dispel darkness, even though 
" the darkness comprehendeth it not." 

There never yet was a 'reform attempted, 
that did not suffer the reproach of the dom- 
inant party. Look at that old reformer Lot: 
" This one fellow came in to sojourn, and will 
needs be a judge." Look at Moses, the proph- 
ets, John the Baptist, Martin Luther, Soger 



20 BAPTISTS 

"Williams. All these were reproached as inno- 
vators, and virtually charged with "turning the 
world upside down." But the greatest innova- 
tor that ever appeared in our world was Jesus 
Christ. He was the Great Reformer. He 
aimed directly to abolish the old dispensation 
and make all things new. He paid no respect 
to the antiquity of the scribe, the morality of 
the Pharisee, or the sanctity of the priest. He 
threw himself upon the merits of the truths he 
delivered, and declared himself a radical inno- 
vator and reformer. Did not He meet re- 
proach ? Let the purple robe, the reed sceptre, 
the thorny crown, the mocking homage, and 
the blood-stained cross reply. 

The apostles were reproached. The Gospel 
which they preached was a great innovation 
upon old and venerable institutions. No reform 
could ever be compared with that which they 
sought to effect. They aimed to overturn all 
the religions in the world. Hence they were 
accounted " vagabonds, fools, and moon-struck 
madmen." They were treated with ridicule, 
scorn, and contempt. They, a few ignorant 
fishermen, seeking to abolish those religions 
which had stood for centuries, and which had 
gathered around them all the charms of his- 
tory, philosophy, and poetry ; religions whose 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 21 

massive temples towered in majestic splendor 
to the very clouds — religions which numbered 
among their devotees, crowds of kings and 
heroes, artisans and sages, and which were cher- 
ished by the most powerful and refined nations 
of the earth. It is not strange that at first 
they were only deemed worthy of ridicule ; nor 
is it surprising, that as success crowned their 
persevering labors, they became the subjects of 
violent hate and bitter persecution. They were 
shaking the foundations of ancient supersti- 
tions, they were disturbers of the public peace, 
they were detestable innovators, they were 
hateful reformers, in short, they were " turning 
the world upside down." 

This kind of reproach Baptists especially 
have been called to endure. They are great 
innovators. Of all persecuted sects, the Bap- 
tists stand forth as most prominent, simply and 
only because they aim at a more complete and 
thorough reform than any others ever at- 
tempted. They teach that Christ's kingdom is 
not of this world; that the church is not a 
national, political, or provincial establishment; 
but a congregation of holy men, separated 
from the world by the renewing of the Holy 
Spirit. They seek to "turn the world upside 
down " — not in the odious sense, but in the 



22 BAPTISTS 

proper and desirable sense. The world is 
wrong; it is morally wrong side up; it needs 
to be revolutionized, and primitive Christianity 
alone can do it. This is the instrument b}^ 
which Baptists aim to accomplish their design. 
By the propagation of primitive Christianity, 
they confidently expect to achieve a complete 
and entire Reformation in the Pagan, Rom- 
ish, and Protestant world, and bring the race 
of man back to God. We pass on to notice, 

III. The Triumph of the Reformer. The 
true religious reformer must ultimately tri- 
umph. However opposed, reproached, and 
persecuted, he triumphs. Even w T hen he ap- 
pears to be discomfited he triumphs. While he 
struggles on in adversity, and while sad reverses 
meet him in his work, still he triumphs. The 
power of the truth is manifest in the support it 
yields him amid these disheartening circum- 
stances. The consciousness that he has dis- 
charged his duty with fidelity, fills his mind 
with peace. He feels that the smile of God is 
upon him ; hence the frowns of the opposers of 
truth, and their anathemas, are lighter than 
vanity to him. He esteems " the reproaches of 
Christ greater riches than all the treasures " of 
earth. The shame of the cross he counts 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 23 

greater honor than all the applause of the 
world, and the martyr's death is to him sweet- 
er than all earthly pleasures. He exhibits a 
dignity of character that far outshines all 
others, and totally eclipses, on the historic page, 
all his slanderous persecutors. He is as far 
superior to the time-serving demagogue, as are 
the burning beams of the meridian sun to the 
last sickly rays of the feeble taper, flickering in 
its socket, and just ready to expire. He knows 
no fear of consequences. Duty, it is his to 
perform — results, are God's to control. He 
stands firmly, as the rock in the ocean, un- 
moved amid the howlings of the tempest and 
the fury of the waves. For him there is a 
glorious future, however dark the hour of 
trial may be ; and though for a time he en- 
dures reproach, he will have a name when his 
persecutors have perished and are forgotten. 

Every true religious reformer that ever 
lived in our world triumphed. Daniel, and the 
three Hebrew worthies, possessed the spirit, 
endured the reproach, and achieved the tri- 
umph of Reformers ; they saw their enemies 
clothed with shame, and the cause of God, 
which they had espoused, gloriously advanced. 
And though their pathway to success lay 
through the lions' den and the burning fur- 



24 BAPTISTS 

nace, these only made their triumph more sub- 
lime, and shed a new halo around their names. 
Martin Luther triumphed — and though Rome 
anathematized and bitterly execrated him, the 
name of the poor monk of Erfurth is honored 
wherever evangelical Christianity prevails ; 
while the distinguishing doctrine for w r hich he 
contended has become one of the strong 1 bul- 
warks of the Protestant world, and the terror 
of Antichrist. Roger "Williams triumphed — 
though banished from the Massachusetts col- 
ony, and driven into the desert wilds among 
the Indians. The religious liberty for which 
he suffered, and which American citizens to- 
day enjoy, forms the most distinguishing and 
pre-eminent glory of our country. How su- 
perior the fame of such men to that of the 
mere military hero! Napoleon won his fifty 
battles; "William Carey translated the Bible 
into almost as many different languages ; and 
while to-day the name of Napoleon begets 
sentiments of disgust, or wakes emotions of 
unhallowed ambition, the name of William 
Carey touches a chord in every Christian 
breast, arousing to new life and to more unre- 
served consecration to Christ, the energies of 
the ablest and best of Zion's sons and daughters. 
There is a great deal of this work of re- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 25 

form before the church at the present day. 
Especially is this true of the Baptist churches 
of this country. They are prepared to labor 
for a more thorough reformation than any 
others can undertake. There are forms of 
error, . productive of incalculable mischief, 
which none others can consistently attack; 
while all others retain and seek to perpetuate 
the unscriptural dogma of infant baptism, 
which with every other traditionary rite must 
be abolished, before the world's revolution will 
be complete. Let it be remembered that each 
has a personal interest and responsibility in this 
matter. Let the inquiry be, " Lord, what wilt 
thou have me to do ? " Every Christian is to 
aim to reform, first himself, then the world. 
The Word of God must be our weapon. With 
this, old forms of error must be attacked, and 
the conflict only end when the field is left in 
possession of truth. " Wherefore, seeing we 
also are compassed about with so great a cloud 
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and 
the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let 
us run with patience the race that is set before 
us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher 
of our faith, who, for the joy that was set 
before him, endured the cross, despising the 
shame, and is set down at the right hand of 
the throne of God," 



LECTUKE II. 

THE RECEPTION WHICH SHOULD BE GIVEN TO 
THE RELIGIOUS REFORMER. 

" These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, 
in that they received the word with all readiness of 
mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those 
things were so." — Acts xvii. 11. 

Infidelity and error have always delighted 
to taunt the disciples of Christ and the friends 
of truth with ignorant credulity, and the recep- 
tion of unfounded and absurd dogmas, without 
due forethought and investigation. They have 
arrogated to themselves all the freedom of 
thought and independence of mind there is in 
the world, and profess to have calmly inves- 
tigated the truths which they reject. The 
taunt on the one hand, and the assumption on 
the other, are both false ; for it is a significant 
fact, that a pure Christianity has advanced just 
in proportion as the right of free and indepen- 
dent investigation has been enjoyed and exer- 
cised ; and moreover, it is the glory of Christian- 
ity, that it courts the test of candid examina- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 27 

tion, and commends such a course whenever 
adopted. 

We have a striking illustration of this in 
the text and its connection. The apostle Paul, 
having been driven from Thessalonica by an 
infuriated mob, excited to deeds of violence by- 
bigoted and interested partisans, fled to Berea. 
Here he pursued a course similar to that which 
he had adopted in Thessalonica. He entered the 
Jewish synagogue and taught in the name of 
Jesus. The community in this place was com- 
posed of men of more independent minds, and 
nobler spirit than the Thessalonians ; and, con- 
sequently, they gave the apostle a far different 
reception from that which he experienced in 
their city. They were not afraid to discuss, 
examine, and fairly investigate the new doc- 
trine which he introduced to -them, and after 
bringing it to the proper test, to let it stand or 
fall on its own merits. This conduct was truly 
noble; and as such, it is endorsed by the Holy 
Spirit in the inspired words of the text: 
" These were more noble than those in Thessa- 
lonica, in that they received the word with all 
readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures 
daily, whether those things were so." Though 
the apostle appeared among them as a reform- 
er, they did not consider him an intruder, or 



28 BAPTISTS 

treat him as an innovator ; but they acted like 
rational, intelligent beings; they acted like 
men ; they acted as all should act under like 
circumstances. Our theme on the present oc- 
casion will be, 

The Reception that should be given to 
the Religious Reformer. 

In illustrating this theme, I shall invito 
your attention to the conduct of the Bereans, 
and their treatment of Paul and Silas, as the 
divinely approved example. This example will 
appear to better advantage, if we follow the 
phraseology of the text, and notice, 

I. The Comparison Instituted. " More 
noble than those in Thessaloiuca." The Thes- 
salonian Jews had exhibited a spirit of gross 
intolerance. They were destitute of that spirit 
which truly ennobles man. They had power 
and influence, and they used these to crush the 
weak. They were filled with envy and jeal- 
ousy, and they gave vent to their feelings in 
acts of violence and oppression. Refusing to 
be convinced themselves, they determined to 
prevent all others from being convinced. They 
appealed to passion, and prejudice, rather than 
to judgment and reason. They made old qpin- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 29 

ions, and popular usages, the standard and test 
by which they tried the apostles 5 teaching, in- 
stead of the Word of God. They falsely ac- 
cused them of disturbing the peace of society ; 
and, by a wilful misconstruction of their words, 
they even charged them with treasonable de- 
signs against the government : " These," said 
they, " all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, 
saying that there is another king, one Jesus." 
They drove them entirely away from their city, 
and then took security of those who had hos- 
pitabty entertained them. Nov was this all. 
They followed them to Berea, and stirred up 
the people there, so that Paul was compelled to 
Jeave that place. Now, in contrast with this 
course, notice, 

II. The Reception of the Apostles by 
the Bereans. " They received the word with 
all readiness of mind." They were wedded to 
the same rites as were the Jews in Thessalo- 
nica. Their prejudices were in favor of Juda- 
ism and arrayed against Christianity. Hence, 
the teaching of the apostle was as much op- 
posed to their views, as to those of the Thessa- 
lonians ; but notwithstanding all this, they " re- 
ceived the word with all readiness of mind.'' 
This implies that they received it, 



30 B 4PTISTS 

1. Respectfully. It is too frequently the 
case, that when the truth is presented to those 
who have long cherished religious error, they 
treat it with ridicule, especially where it comes 
in contact with their preconceived opinions. 
Thus the Athenians treated Paul, when he 
broached the doctrine of the resurrection, 
" And when they heard of the resurrection of 
the dead, some mocked ; and others said, We 
will hear thee again of this matter." (Acts xvii. 
32.) Thus it is, often, in our day. The curling 
lip, and the sneer of contempt, and the ex- 
pression of ridicule, are seen and heard as soon 
as a favorite dogma is touched, no matter how 
kindly. Not so with the Bereans. However 
novel the doctrines of the apostle appeared, 
however opposite to what they had been 
taught, or however different from their pre- 
viously formed opinions, they listened to what 
he presented with respect. They received the 
word, 

2. With candor. They were disposed to be 
frank and fair. They were open to conviction 
— honest and ingenuous in their conclusions. 
They kept their minds free from an undue 
bias, and let every argument have its full 
weight. They were disposed to think and 
judge according to truth and justice. They 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 31 

were willing to admit every reasonable and log 1 - 
ical conclusion. They banished prejudice, and 
examined the subject impartially. This is the 
proper way to arrive at the truth. G-od gave us 

our reason to be exercised in religious matters, 
as well as in worldly affairs. These Bereans 
neither exhibited bigotry on the one hand, nor 
credulity on the other. They were willing to 
hear, and then they judged for themselves, and 
formed their own conclusions. This is all that 
can be demanded. Tins course was honorable 
to themselves, and would make even those 
respect them who differed from them. And this 
is true of any man. or body of men. Let them 
be candid, fair and frank, and they will win the 
respect of those who arrive at a different con- 
clusion from them. They received the word, 

3. Patiently. They did not get in an ill- 
humor with the apostle, or exhibit signs of 
irritation, or cherish feelings of malice toward 
him, because he sought to convert them from 
Judaism. Though it was the religion of their 
fathers — though they had been brought up 
in it — though their prejudices were strongly 
wedded to its rites and ceremonies — still, they 
calmly listened to the reasons urged by the 
apostle why they should abandon it, and con- 
nect themselves with that sect which was 



32 BAPTISTS 

" everywhere spoken against." They were not 
offended at his zeal ; their minds were unruf- 
fled, and day after day they came to patiently 
hear him through. How different is this from 
the conduct of most persons. Just touch their 
peculiar doctrines, or hint that the rites which 
they observe are unscriptural, and without 
waiting to hear the reasons for such an opinion, 
they at once become agitated, and impatiently 
desire to leave the place and inwardly deter- 
mine that they will not again enter it. So did 
not the noble Bereans. They wished to find the 
truth, though it might lie in a different di- 
rection from that in which they had been 
accustomed to seek it. They desired to follow 
the truth, though it might lead to the abandon- 
ment of time-honored customs and the break- 
ing up of old and pleasant associations. There- 
fore, "they received the word with all readiness 
of mind." Such a course might offend inter- 
ested partisans, but God commends it as noble. 
We notice, 

III. The Test by which they tried the 
Teaching of the ArosTLES. — " They searched 
the Scriptures daily, whether these things were 
so." This is the divine standard of appeal. 
God gave it as our guide, and we are com- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 33 

manded to search it. It is to be the test of all 
religious teaching; and the conduct of the 
Bereans in making it the test of Paul's preach- 
ing is honored by its divine Author; for let it 
not be forgotten that it is Jehovah who speaks 
in the text. 

They did not appeal to Tradition. They 
might have done this. Rumor said that Christ 
was an impostor; Paul affirmed that He was 
the Messiah. How were they to decide? Sim- 
ply by appealing to the Scriptures. They 
did not appeal to their priests and rabbis. 
They had told them to oppose Christianity, and 
seek to exterminate it. But they knew their 
priests were fallible men, and that if they 
obeyed them, they might possibly be " found 
fighting against God." They did not appeal 
to their own preference, and interest, and con- 
venience. These would have prompted them 
to reject the investigation of the doctrine, and 
decide at once in accordance with tradition and 
popular customs. 

Abandoning all these false and uncertain 
standards, they appealed to the Scriptures, to 
settle the differences between their views and 
those of their reformers. They " searched " 
the Scriptures ; as one who seeks for something 
that is lost. Many persons read the Bible only 



34 BAPTISTS 

to find support for what they already believe, 
and search the Scriptures to prove that what is 
new to them is not so. But these Bereans 
exhibited the same candor in testing the word, 
that they did in its reception. If the Scrip- 
tures sustained the apostle, they adopted his 
views ; if not, they rejected them. Thus they 
honored God, and exempted themselves from 
the charge of wilful ignorance, intolerance, and 
superstition. 

This is the reception that should always be 
given to those who aim to reform a commun- 
ity, whether that reformation be universal, or 
whether it have reference only to a single doc- 
trine or ordinance. Such a reception is all we 
ask for these Lectures. Such a reception is all 
Baptists ask anywhere. Those who hold the 
truth have nothing to fear from such a course. 
Respectful, candid, and patient attention, will 
enable them the more readily to detect sophis- 
try and specious reasoning, and the study of 
the Bible will always expose what is unserip- 
tural and erroneous. Moreover, this course has 
the sanction, of Jehovah, however much it may 
offend men. The Bible should be the test of 
all preaching. That man who desires to make 
himself the umpire and final standard of appeal 
to his congregation, involves himself in a fear- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 35 

ful responsibility, and virtually claims for him- 
self infallibility. Yet some ministers appear 
offended if their authority is questioned, or if 
their preaching is tested by the "Word of God. 
So did not Paul. Though inspired, he com- 
mended the course of those, who, instead of 
taking his say so for it, examined the Scriptures 
for themselves, to see whether those things 
which he told them were so. To adopt a con- 
trary course, and blindly follow a minister or 
priest, is downright Romanism ; and, if pursued 
universally, would arrest the progress of the 
Gospel, and clog the wheels of truth, and 
stamp error with immutability. 

What if the Hindoo, the Bur man, and the 
Chinese follow their priests, and universally 
determine never to examine Christianity? 
What if the Mohammedan, Romanist and 
Greek, follow their teachers? What if the 
Universalis*;, Infidel, and Atheist, follow their 
champions? And yet these have as much war- 
rant to do this, as the Presbyterian, Methodist, 
or Baptist. Xo, my brethren, your minister is 
not to be the umpire or standard. There is 
but one who could say, a Follow Me!" and 
that was Christ. We point you to Him. We 
direct you to His Word as the standard of 
your duty, and to His example as the pattern 



36 BAPTISTS 

of your lives. If, in these Lectures, we say 
anything that conflicts with these, reject it ; 
but if you find, on examination, that these 
things which we preach are so, remember, the 
whole responsibility of rejecting, not us, but 
the Word of God, and the meek and lowly 
Saviour, rests at your own door. 

If the conduct of the Bereans were univer- 
sally imitated, what happy events would follow. 
How soon would infidelity, and error, and 
superstition vanish before the influence of 
sound reason and Scripture truth. What cour- 
tesy, and forbearance, and love, w T ould be man- 
ifested among brethren who differ. How much 
more diligently would the Bible be studied, 
and how soon would the multitude of sects and 
parties disappear, and the Saviour's prayer 
that they all might be one would be answered. 

The contrary course can benefit no one. If 
a man is in an error, no matter how trivial, it 
can do him no good to continue in that error. 
Especially, it can do him no good to dwarf his 
mind, and stunt his intellectual powers, in 
order that he may continue in it unmolested. 
Yet this is the effect of refusing a candid inves- 
tigation of the truth. Further, if a man has 
the truth, he will not fear investigation, but 
rather court it. " He that death the truth coin- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 37 

eth to the light, that his deeds may be made 
manifest, that they are wrought in God." 

If a pretended reformer appears, there is 
no surer way of exposing the imposition, than 
the adoption of the example of the Bereans. But 
if a contrary course is pursued, it frequently 
leads to the exercise of a morbid sympathy 
toward those who hold injurious error. Now 
Baptists appear before the world as those who 
aim at a complete reform. They, appeal not 
to the sympathies, but to the consciences of 
men ; not to prejudice, but to reason ; not to 
tradition but to the Scriptures. They simply 
ask for the reception which the Bereans gave 
to those who sought to convert them from 
Judaism to Christianity. 



LECTURE III. 



THE WEAPONS OF THE RELIGIOUS REFORMER. 



" For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, 
bat mighty through Grod to the pulling down of strong- 
holds." — 2 Corinthians x. 4. 



Ever since the introduction of sin into the 
world, there has been an unremitting conflict 
between truth and error. The earth has be- 
come a vast battle-ground ; the theatre of a 
mighty moral warfare. Truth and error are 
necessarily opposed to each other, and when- 
ever they come in contact, a fierce contest 
ensues, which ends only when error is de- 
stroyed. This conflict is not, however, one of 
a material kind ; nor should physical force be 
used in carrying it on. It is a moral warfare ; 
and ultimate success can be secured only by 
the use of corresponding weapons. The advo- 
cates of error may press into their service 
carnal weapons, as indeed they are always 
forced to do, in their vain efforts to sustain 
themselves, and oppose the truth ; but thus 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 39 

they only acknowledge their own weakness, 
and betray the defects of their cause, and 
insure in the end their own defeat. The disci- 
ple of the truth needs no such weapons. He 
knows that they can j 7 ield him no advantage, 
and secure no permanent benefit; and he sees 
that they would only encumber and embarrass 
him in the conflict, and retard the cause he 
seeks to advance. He feels that in order to be 
successful, he must use only those means which 
God has appointed, and which He can bless. 
He therefore appropriately adopts the language 
of the text : " For the weapons of our warfare 
are not carnal, but mighty through God to the 
pulling down of strongholds. 5 ' The theme of 
this Lecture is, — 

The Weapons of the Religious Rfformer. 

Tn conducting any enterprise, or effecting 
any work, instruments are necessary ; imple- 
ments adapted to the end designed. The work 
of the reformer is, in a great measure, a work 
of destruction. He goes forth to demolish all 
that is opposed to truth — all that prevents its 
free and rapid advance. He is the pioneer, 
who is accounted "famous according as he lifts 
up the axe upon the thick trees.'* * Error is 
* Psalm lxxxiv. 5. 



40 BAPTISTS 

rather negative than positive. Truth was 
intended to enlighten man ; error, like a cloud, 
intervenes to shut out its brilliant rays. Truth 
was intended to make man happy ; error in- 
fuses poison, and introduces the ingredients of 
misery. Truth was intended to make man 
free ; error rears her fortress and strongholds, 
and makes him a captive in them. Now the 
work of the reformer is to dissipate this cloud 
— to extract this poison — to pull down these 
strongholds. The work of Christ, the Great 
Reformer, was eminently a work of destruction. 
He was manifested that He might " destroy the 
works of the devil." Let us notice, 

I. The Strongholds which the Religious 
Reformer is called on to demolish. 

1. Ignorance, — All religious error is the 
offspring of ignorance and mistake. God is 
true, and His Word is true. No religious 
error can find any support there. Yet we 
know that error does exist to a vast extent. 
How mighty, then, is this fortress ! and how 
strong! Look at the ignorance of heathen 
nations. See the ignorance of those who are 
under the dominion of the Papacy. Behold 
the lamentable ignorance of a vast majority of 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 41 

Protestants. Now the reformer meets this 
stronghold wherever he undertakes to labor. 
He beholds wilful ignorance of plainly re- 
vealed truths. He " \ is one body of men 
wilfully ignorant of the views and practices of 
another body which they condemn. He rinds 
himself misrepresented, misunderstood, and 
opposed, because men are entrenched in this 
stronghold. The Apostle Paul once found 
himself a victim of misrepresentations which 
had gained currency simply through the in- 
excusable and wilful ignorance of those who 
believed them. "Art not thou that Egyptian." 
he was asked, " which, before these days madest 
an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness 
four thousand men that were murderers i " 
The religious reformer is frequently assailed 
with questions as absurd, betraying the wilful 
ignorance of those who oppose him in his 
work. This ignorance he labors to remove. 

2. Prejudice. — Prejudices are generally in 
favor of that to which men are accustomed, 
and opposed to that which appears new to 
them. If men have been accustomed to error, 
they love it on account of its antiquity: and the 
inquiry too frequently is not. what is truth? 
but, is it in accordance with our prejudices I 
is it what pur lathers practiced I is it what they 



42 BAPTISTS 

taught us? Men speak of time-honored cus- 
toms ; they forget that, while errors may be 
time-honored, truth is eternal. Prejudice is a 
mighty stronghold. Its walls are of adaman- 
tine strength and of almost impenetrable thick- 
ness. Entrenched in this fortress, men are un- 
approachable. The soundest logic, the strong- 
est arguments, the most convincing proof, the 
fairest reasoning, all fail, all are powerless, 
while prejudice holds the mind within her 
grasp. The very work of the religious reform- 
er brings him in direct contact with those 
customs which appeal most powerfully to men's 
prejudices. He aims to remove old errors ; 
but, in order to do this, he must first demolish 
the stronghold in which they are entrenched. 
He aims to convince men that it is better to be 
the willing subjects of reason, than the blind 
slaves of prejudice. 

3. Self-interest. — Many go with the crowd, 
merely because it is to their present interest. 
After they are enlightened by truth, and after 
their old prejudices are overcome, still, selfish- 
ness prevails ; and instead of doing that which 
they know to be right, and laboring to advance 
the truth, they prefer to act contrary to their 
own convictions. They perceive that the truth 
is unpopular — that its advocacy will necessitate 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 43 

self-denial and sacrifice — that their temporal 
interests will suffer, and their names be cast 

out as evil. Now the religious reformer aims 

to make men benevolent : he labors to make 
them willing to deny themselves and cheerfully 

sutler for the good of others and the sake of 
the truth. Selfishness must be demolished, this 
mighty stronghold must be pulled down, ere 
the reformer can succeed in his work. Thus, 
the victims of error must be driven from every 
refuge, and their hiding-places must be de- 
stroyed, before they will be made free by the 
reception of the truth, Notice 

II. The Meaks by which this is Accom- 
plished. — These are stated: in the text negative- 
ly. % * The weapons of our warfare are not 
carnal." The religious reformer does not in- 
voke 

1. The Civil Power. — He does not seek to 
force men by legal enactments to embrace his 
views, or profess attachment to his cause. He 
does not seek to unite the Church with the 
State, or enforce his teachings at the edge of 
the sword and the point of the bayonet. He 
does not use persecution or oppression of any 
kind. He does not use authority of office, 
either civil or ecclesiastical. He does not use 
the authority growing out of the domestic 



44 BAPTISTS 

relations to force the consciences of those who 
are subject to him, or compel them to adopt 
his views of truth. He utterly renounces com- 
pulsion of every kind. The gibbet, the rack, 
and the stake, are all discarded by him. Here 
was one radical defect of the Reformation of 
the sixteenth century. The civil arm was 
invoked, the State was united with the Church, 
a political element was infused, and carnal 
weapons were used as freely by the Reformed 
Churches in enforcing their dogmas as by the 
Papacy in maintaining its heresies. The thor- 
ough religious reformer uses no such weapons. 
Neither does he employ 

2. Calumny and Misrepresentation. — In or- 
der successfully to combat the opinions and 
practices of an opponent, individuals sometimes 
distort and falsify his views. They present an 
absurd doctrine, which is inconsistent both 
with reason and revelation, falsely charge it on 
those whom they oppose, and then eloquently 
declaim against it. Or, they mistake the argu- 
ments used by their opponents to sustain their 
views, and endeavor to make the impression 
that they are but weak fanatics, or men labor- 
ing under mental imbecility. Or, they openly 
slander and vilify them, and injure their repu- 
tation. And thus they labor to bring into 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 45 

disrepute both the views and practices they 
oppose, and the persons who advocate them. 
All who persecute, love to have some pretext ; 
they therefore first slander their victim, and 
then put him to death. Thus it was with 
Jesus ; false witnesses rose against him ; and 
though their testimony carried its refutation 
on its very face, it was made the pretext for 
his crucifixion. But the thorough religious 
reformer, having no desire to persecute, needs 
no pretext for it ; he therefore discards calum- 
ny and misrepresentation. Neither does he 
resort to 

3. Flattery and Cunning Artifices, — He ap- 
peals not to sinful passions, such as pride, 
ambition, self-indulgence and a desire for 
worldly honor. This is often done in order to 
advance a sect or party. " Our denomination," 
it is urged, " is the most popular — it numbers 
more than any other — it has more wealth." 
" Our church is the most respectable — it em- 
braces the most learned and talented men; 
therefore we are right." " It will be to your 
interest to join our church, because it is the 
church of the place." Now all such motives as 
these must be classed among the carnal weap- 
ons. They appeal to selfishness. The true 
reformer makes no such appeals, urges no such 



46 BAPTISTS 

motives, wields no such weapons : " For the 
weapons of his warfare are not carnal." 

Such weapons are impotent, and worse than 
useless, in seeking to advance the truth. If a 
man becomes an honest and faithful follower 
of the truth, it must be for the truth's sake, 
and not to avoid persecution, or reproach, or 
unpopularity. Such weapons can never pull 
down the strongholds of error, but rather ren- 
der them more impregnable. Persecution will 
never enlighten the mind of the ignorant, 
misrepresentation will never remove prejudice, 
and flattery will never demolish selfishness. 
And further, such weapons only recoil on the 
heads of those who use them. It is an immu- 
table decree of Jehovah, that " they who take 
the sword shall perish with the sword." We 
have a striking illustration of this in the burn- 
ing of Cranmer and Rogers. We have been 
taught to sympathize with them in their mar- 
tyr-deaths at the stake ; and that sympathy 
we would not check, for they were cruelly 
persecuted. But we would at the same time 
recognize in their sufferings a fulfilment of 
Christ's words, " With what measure ye mete, 
it shall be measured to you again." The hands 
of both of them had been stained with the 
blood of Joan Boucher, a noble-minded and 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. ± i 

pious female, who, in the reign of the youthful 
Edward, was committed to the flames for the 
sin of being a Baptist. 0% Oranmer is said by 
Fox to have been most urgent with the young 
king to affix the sign manual to the cruel docu- 
ment. The youthful king hesitated. Cranmer 
argued from the law of Moses, by which blas- 
phemers were to be stoned to death. With 
tears but unconvinced, the royal signature was 
appended. Rogers also thought that she ought 
to be put to death, and when urged with the 
cruelty of the deed, replied, ' that burning alive 
was no cruel death, but easy enough.' ?? * God 
has shown, in an unmistakable manner, his 
disapprobation of carnal weapons. 

While the reformer deprecates the use of 
these means, there are weapons employed by 
him which are " mighty, through God, to the 
pulling down of strongholds." Among these 
we notice, 

1. The Word of God. This is the double- 
edged sword of the Spirit. This is the grand 
weapon which is to cut its way through all 
error. It always has been successful, and al- 
ways will be. Those only have been successful 
reformers, who have used this as their great 
weapon. Look at the Great Reformer ; when 
* Religious Liberty, its Struggles and Triumphs, p. 110. 



48 BAPTISTS 

he went forth to encounter, in the wilderness, 
the arch adversary of truth, how" did he van- 
quish him ? Though all the hosts of heaven 
were ready to do his bidding, and drag Satan 
back to his prison, He disdained to exert phys- 
ical force. He used this great weapon ; and 
every assault of the - Tempter was repelled by 
the calm reply, " It is written — it is written 
— it is written." When the apostles went 
forth, the Word of God was the instrument 
with which they overcame the opposition of 
Judaism. And what gave rise to the reforma- 
tion in the sixteenth century ? Why, a poor 
monk found a Bible, and in his cell made it his 
study. Happy would it have been for the 
world, if the reformers of that age had been 
guided exclusively by its holy precepts. Dis- 
carding tradition, and every human invention, 
the thorough religious reformer makes the 
Bible both his text-book and test-book. 

2. Candor and Affection. He takes pains to 
ascertain accurately the views of those whose 
errors he would correct, giving them credit for 
the truth they hold, and acknowledging their 
excellences wherever they exist. His work is 
not to destroy their lives, their liberties, or 
their reputations, but their errors. He there- 
fore speaks the truth in love, and seeks not 
theirs but them, His great wish is to benefit 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 49 

them ; and, like the blessed Redeemer, who 
could mingle His tears of compassion with his 
denunciations against sin, the reformer boldly 
and sternly denounces error, yet cherishes 
ardent affection for those who are " out of the 
way." He also employs 

3. Sound Reason. He appeals not to passion 
or prejudice, but to the understanding. He is 
able to give a reason for every thing he at- 
tempts. He shows the fitness of things, and 
their propriety ; he invites the exercise of the 
judgment of those whom he addresses. Instead 
of regarding men as brutes, who are to be 
driven by force, he recognizes them as rational, 
intelligent beings, who are to be convinced, 
and persuaded, and moved by mental and 
moral power. Christ and the apostles were 
great reasoners ; especially is this true of the 
apostle Paul. Who can read the epistles to the 
early churches, without being struck with the 
force of his reasoning ? The advocates of error 
cannot stand before the reformer who is well 
skilled in the use of this weapon. 

4. Earnest, believing, importunate prayer. 
— " Mighty through God." He must give suc- 
cess in the use of the weapons. The religious 
reformer, therefore, while he wields the " sword 
of the Spirit' 3 and exhibits in his own life the 
power of the truth he holds, depends only on 



50 BAPTISTS THOROUGH REFORMERS. 

God for success in his work. He pleads for 
men with God, while he pleads with men for 
the truth. Every successful religious reformer 
has been a man of prayer. Earnestness in the pul- 
pit has not accomplished so much as earnestness in 
the closet. With a deep conviction that it is God's 
work he is endeavoring to advance, he confidently 
looks up for God's aid and blessing in prosecut- 
ing it, and feels assured that while his weapons 
are not carnal, they are yet "mighty through 
God " to the pulling down of strongholds." 

These are the weapons of the reformer. 
With these he goes forth to attack the strong- 
holds of sin, and raze to the ground the giant 
fabric of error. To be successful even in ad- 
vancing the truth, we must use only the divine- 
ly appointed means ; for wherever the opposite 
course has been pursued, the most disastrous 
results have followed. Truth is only tram- 
meled and retarded by the use of any but the 
heaven-approved weapons. 

These weapons, only, have been used by 
Baptists. They have never figured on the 
historic page as persecutors. Though the sub- 
jects of bitter oppression and cruel persecutions 
themselves, it has been their glory always to 
exclaim, " The weapons of our warfare are not 
carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling 
down of strongholds ! " 



LECTUKE IV. 

THE FIRST FEATURE OF THE REFORM AT WHICH 

BAPTISTS AIM THE EXALTATION OF THE WORD 

OF GOD ABOVE TRADITION". 

" Thus have ye made the commandment of God of 
none effect by your tradition." — Matthew xy. 6. 

Every reform in religion presupposes the 
existence of errors, evil in their tendencies and 
results, which have gradually crept into ecclesi- 
astical organizations, and which need to be 
removed in order that such organizations may 
become pure and scriptural. A reform is not 
the introduction of a new system of religion, 
but rather the revival of the old system, and 
the assertion of its supremacy over the innova- 
tions of men. It is not a movement based on 
the pretended reception of a new revelation, 
conflicting with previous ones from an un- 
changing Jehovah, but it is the enforcement of 
the commands and precepts which have already 
been revealed, but which have been obscured, 
and invalidated, and made of none effect by 
human tradition. 



52 BAPTISTS 

Thus it was with the Great Reform intro- 
duced by Jesus Christ. He declared that he 
came " not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it." 
In the prosecution of his mission, he utterly 
disregarded the religious rites which owed 
their origin to mere human invention, and, by 
a studied non-observance of the traditions of 
the Jewish elders, he constantly exhibited his 
disapprobation of them. At the same time, he 
taught principles, which, if carried out, would 
restore the supremacy of God's law, and effect- 
ually remove every vestige of this usurpation 
of authority by man. This course brought 
down upon him the displeasure of those who 
were wedded to the rites of tradition, while 
they neglected the more important commands 
of God. They therefore came to expostulate 
with him in reference to the course pursued by 
him, saying, " Why do thy disciples transgress 
the traditions of the elders?" But Jesus, in 
reply, asked them a far more pertinent and 
weighty question : " Why do you also trans- 
gress the commandment of God by your tradi- 
tion ? " and then, after citing a case in point, he 
charged them, in the words of the text, with 
making void the law of God, by substituting 
their unscriptural observances for his divine 
commands : — " Thus have ye made the com- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 53 

mandment of God of none effect by your 
tradition." 

There exists to-day a body of Christians, who 
are laboring to effect the same kind of reform 
as that in which the blessed Saviour was en- 
gaged, more than eighteen hundred years ago. 
That body, though designated since the days of 
Christ by various names, is known, at the pres- 
ent time, by the name of Baptists. The theme 
of this, and several succeeding Lectures will be, 

The Distinguishing Features of that Re- 
form in which Baptists are engaged. 

Many persons suppose, that the only differ- 
ence between Baptists and other evangelical 
denominations, is respecting the mode and 
subjects of baptism. This is, indeed, the prin- 
cipal external difference : but this difference 
exhibits the adherence, on the part of Baptists, 
to a great and important principle, which is 
involved in their action, and which they be- 
lieve to be violated by those who differ from 
them in this matter. An illustration of their 
position is found in the text and its connection. 
The washing of a person's hands before eating, 
was, in itself, a small matter ; but it involved, 
in this instance, a sinful obtruding of human 
tradition in the place of divine commands. 



54 BAPTISTS 

This is just the principle that is involved 
in the practice of infant sprinkling. We an- 
nounce, then, as the Jtirst Feature of the reform 
in which Baptists are engaged, 

The Exaltation of the Word of God above 
Tradition, in all Matters of Religious Duty. 

There has always been a conflict between 
Divine revelation and human tradition; and 
yet the advocates of the latter have almost 
invariably endeavored to reconcile it with the 
former, and thus the Word of God is often 
distorted in vain efforts to make it support 
that which is of merely human origin. The 
ultimate effect of these efforts is to divide the 
Bible against itself, and to cause it to be utterly 
disregarded as the standard of appeal in mat- 
ters of religious duty. It was thus with the 
traditions of the Jewish elders. Those who 
followed them, and practised their rites, ceased 
to regard the Scriptures which they possessed 
as the standard of duty ; they became a dead 
letter, and the tradition of the elders — not the 
Scriptures — was the authority they cited for 
the support of their rites. " For God com- 
manded, saying, Honor thy father and mother ; 
and he that curseth father or mother, let him 
die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 55 

to his father or his mother, It is a gift by what- 
soever thou mightest be profited by me, and 
honor not his father or his mother, he shall be 
free. Thus have ye made the commandment 
of God of none effect by your tradition." 

The same result followed, when the disciples 
listened to the voice of tradition. On one oc- 
casion Christ said, in reference to John, "If I 
w T ill that he tarry till I come, what is that to 
thee ? " Tradition immediately distorted the 
question into an assertion : " Then went that 
saying abroad among the brethren, that that 
disciple should not die." * Here tradition ut- 
tered a falsehood, and taught as usual, a lie. 

It is thus, also, in reference to the Church of 
Rome. Tradition after tradition has been re- 
ceived, until it becomes dangerous to the inter- 
ests of that church to permit her deluded 
members to read God's Word — so directly are 
her traditions opposed to that Word. And, in 
order to sustain herself, she vainly arrogates to 
herself infallibility, and exalts herself above the 
Bible, and makes the commandment of God of 
none effect by her tradition. The will of the 
Pope, and the decisions of councils, are made 
the standards of appeal, and the Bible is a dead 
letter. And yet this same church, in all her 
*Johnxxi. 22, 23. 



56 BAPTISTS 

corruption, endeavors to reconcile her tradi- 
tions, in some instances, with the Bible ; but, 
in order to do it, she distorts and invents Scrip- 
ture to suit herself. 

On what does the Papacy rest to support its 
penances, and image-worship, and prayers to 
the saints, and priestly absolutions, and, in 
short, its very existence ? I reply in one word, 
Tradition. Let the Bible become her stand- 
ard, and she would cease to exist. She has 
made almost every commandment of God of 
none effect by her tradition. 

Thus it is, also, with Protestant Pedobaptist 
churches. Tradition is the basis on which 
infant sprinkling rests. We look in vain for 
any command in reference to it in the Bible ; 
the Scriptures utter not a word in support of 
it. The most able Pedobaptists have them- 
selves admitted this. Says Dr. Woods, an emi- 
nent Pedobaptist: " Whatever may have been 
the precepts of Christ, or his apostles, to those 
who enjoyed their personal instructions, it is 
plain there is no express precept respecting 
infant baptism in our sacred writings. The 
proof, then, that infant baptism is a divine 
institution, must be made out some other 
way." ** He says further : " The want of an 
* Lectures on Infant Baptism, p. 10, 11. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 57 

express, positive command of Scripture that 
infants should be baptized, is not to be consid- 
ered as a valid objection against infant bap- 
tism/' * 

It is here plainly admitted that there is no 
command for infant baptism in the Word of 
God. But we do not need these admissions to 
substantiate our assertion. We simply appeal 
to the Bible itself. If it was there, we could 
see it for ourselves. We ask any one to show 
us the first instance of the sprinkling of an 
infant, or any command to administer baptism 
to infants. It cannot be found. Thousands of 
dollars have been offered for the production of 
a single text, authorizing the practice ; but these 
premiums have never been claimed. On what, 
then, does it rest ? I reply, on tradition. Dr. 
Woods says that authority for it, " may be 
afforded particularly by an unwritten tradi- 
tion." It is a human invention, having no 
higher authority than that of man. It is one of 
the traditions which the Protestant Reformers 
brought from Rome. It is the main " pillar " 
on which Popery rests ; for, if you take away 
the baptism of infants, Rome would soon fall. 
Its defence necessitates Romish arguments; 
and instances are not wanting where Pedobap- 

* Lectures on Infant Baptism, p. 17. 



58 



BAPTISTS 



tists, in combating Komanists, have either 
been compelled to use arguments fatal to their 
own practices, or else be defeated. * And it is 
a matter of history, that Protestant arguments 
against Baptists have often been used by Ko- 

* This is strikingly illustrated in the celebrated Let- 
ters of "Kirwan" (Rev. Dr. Murray, a Protestant Pedo- 
baptist,) to Bishop Hughes. He says: "Once secure a 
just and scriptural view of the character of a true minis- 
ter of Christ, and of the great end of a gospel ministry, 
and the whole framework of popery vanishes." '* A true 
minister is one who, with the love of God and of the sal- 
vation of men filling his soul, goes out into all the ways 
which providence opens before him, preaching every- 
where, as did Peter and Paul, ' repentance toward God, 
and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ/ He has only one 
object — to lead men to the knowledge of the truth. He 
goes out with an open Bible, to expound it, praying that 
the Holy Spirit may so apply its truths to the hearts of 
his hearers, that they may be created anew in Christ 
Jesus unto good works. To those who "believe, he adminis- 
ters the rite of baptism, and, as God gives him opportu- 
nity, he administers the Lord's Supper to the faithful, for 
the purpose of commemorating the death of Christ, un- 
til he comes the second time without sin unto salvation. 
Such were the ministers of Christ before the rise of po- 
pery ; and such only are the true ministers of Christ 
now." — Kirwan's Letters to Bishop Hughes, Second Series, 
p. 90, 91. 

No intelligent reader need be reminded that this is 
language utterly at variance with Pedobaptist teaching 
and practice. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 59 

manists against Protestants themselves. A forci- 
ble proof of this is seen in the following extract 
from the Roman Catholic Catechism : 

" Q. Can Protestants prove to Baptists, that 
the baptism of infants is good and useful ? 

" A. No ; they cannot ; because, according to 
Protestant principles, such baptism is useless. 

" Q. Why do you say this ? 

"A. One of the Protestant principles is, 
that no human being can be justified except by 
an act of faith in Jesus Christ ; but no infant is 
capable of making this act of faith ; therefore, 
upon Protestant principles, the baptism of 
infants is useless. 

" Q. Can you draw the same consequence 
from any other principle ? 

"A. Yes; their first principle is, that no- 
thing is to be practised which is not authorized 
by Scriptural example; but it does not appear 
from Scripture, that even one infant ivas ever 
baptized; therefore Protestants should reject, 
on their own principle, infant baptism as an 
un scriptural usage. 

" Q. How do Baptists treat other Protes- 
tants? 

" A. They boast that the Scripture is evi- 
dently for Baptist practice — that other Protes- 
tants hold traditional doctrines, like the Catho- 



60 BAPTISTS 

lies. They quote Matt. chap. 28 : ' Go teach 
all nations, baptizing them,' from which they 
say it is clear that teaching should go before 
baptism ; hence they conclude that as infants 
cannot be taught, so neither should they be 
baptized, until they are capable of teaching or 
instruction. 

" Q. What use do they make of Mark, chap. 16 : 
' He who helieveth and is baptized shall be saved ? ' 

" A. They say it is evident that belief or 
faith must precede baptism; but they add 
infants are not capable of believing ; therefore 
neither are they capable of being baptized. 

" Q. What can Protestants reply to this Bap- 
tist reasoning ? 

"A. They may give these passages another 
meaning ; but they can never prove that their 
interpretation is better than that of the Bap- 
tists, because they themselves give every one a 
right to interpret Scripture. 

" Q. How do Catholics prove that infants 
ought to be baptized ? 

" A. Not from Scripture alone, which is not 
very clear on this subject, but from the Scrip- 
ture illustrated by the constant tradition of the 
church. 

"Q. Can Protestants use this argument of 
tradition against the Baptists ? 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 61 

" A. No ; they have no right to use it in this 
matter, where it would serve them, since they 
reject it in every question where it is opposed 
to their novel and lately invented doctrines." * 

Says the President of the famous Council of 
Trent, a Roman Catholic Cardinal, speaking of 
the Baptists: " And surely, how many soever 
have written against this heresy, whether they 
were Catholics or Reformers, they were able to 
overthrow it, not so much by the testimony of 
the Scriptures, as by the authority of the 
Church." And Bayle, in his Critical Diction- 
ary, savs that the Protestants were obliged to 
meet the Baptists with arguments which were 
turned against them by the papists. Dr. Woods 
furnishes us an illustration of this assertion. 
He says : " It is unquestionable, that the 
knowledge of some extraordinary events of 
providence, or of some divine injunctions, may 
be as truly and as certainly communicated in 
this way, [by an unwritten tradition,] as in 
others : and we should in many cases, consider 
a man who should refuse to admit the truth 
and authority of a tradition, to be as unreason- 
able, as if he should refuse to admit the author- 

* Doctrinal Catechism of Catholic Faith and Practice, 
approved by the Most Rev. John Hughes, D. D.. pp. 184 
—186. 



62 BAPTISTS 

ity of written or printed records." * Now I 
ask if this is not giving up to Rome all she 
claims ? " We should consider a man who 
should refuse to admit the authority of tradi- 
tion, to be as unreasonable as if he should 
refuse to admit the authority of written or 
printed records ! " Will not Popery heartily 
endorse this doctrine ? Now on what kind of 
traditionary authority does infant sprinkling 
rest? Why, upon the same as every other 
corruption of Rome ,- and if Romish tradition 
be followed in this case, why not in all others ? 
Thus, we have shown that infant sprinkling 
requires Romish arguments. Now, the simple 
reason of this is, that, like the other rites of 
Popery, it is founded in tradition. 

Further, the commandment of God is made 
of none effect by this tradition. God has given 
express and plain commands, in reference to 
every duty and ordinance. He has commanded 
believers to be baptized ; He has extended the 
command to none others. Those baptized in 
infancy, in a multitude of cases, grow up in 
unbelief, and never become believers. But 
where they do become converts, they are 
taught, by the tradition of the church, that 
their infant baptism is sufficient, and they are 

* Lectures on Infant Baptism, p. 17. 



THOROUGH EEFOBMZE5. 63 

not expected to be baptized after believing. 
And even when persons sprinkled in infancy 
are led, by the study oi the Bible, to desire 
baptism after they have believed, strong efforts 
are always made to dissuade them from it. and 
they are often compelled to go to the Baptists 
in order to be baptized. These things are of 
such common occurrence, that it is unnecessary 
to relate instances in proof. Thus the Word 
of God is made of no effect. 

Again, Pedobaptists, like the Jewish elders, 
endeavor to reconcile their tradition with the 
'Word of God. Look at their reasoning : 
;i Whosoever shall say to his father or his 
mother, It is a gift by whatsoever thou might- 
est be profited by me. and honor not his father 
or his mother, he shall be free." Pedobaptists 
say: "If any persons be sprinkled in infancy, 
and be not baptized after they believe, it is suf- 
ficient." There is an exact parallel. Here you 
perceive the reasonings of men, in both in- 
stances, though opposed to the express com- 
mand of God, are made the standard, instead of 
his "Word. Would it not sound strange to 
hear a Pedobaptist minister urge his people to 
simply follow the teaching and example of 
Christ, in reference to baptism i Yet this is 



64 BAPTISTS 

right; but this comes directly in contact with 
their tradition. 

Now Baptists are opposed to tradition, any 
where and every where ; whether they find it 
in the Church of Rome, or in Protestant 
churches. They aim to elevate the Word of 
God above tradition, as the standard of duty in 
all places. It is professedly the grand doctrine 
of Protestantism — which Protestants them- 
selves have abandoned — that Baptists steadily 
maintain. Thev aim to brine; all to this stand- 
ard. They, themselves, have always adhered 
to the Bible. Did any one ever hear of Bap- 
tists being charged with following tradition? 
The charge would be ridiculously absurd ; for 
they have always opposed tradition as a guide 
in matters of religious duty. 

From these remarks it will be perceived, that 
while the subjects and mode of baptism is the 
external ground of difference between Baptists 
and others, that difference involves a great 
principle; and the primary question is not, 
Shall infants be baptized ? but, whether God's 
Word or tradition shall be our guide. God 
has uttered his will in the matter. That will 
we follow, as we find it in his Word. Those 
who oppose us, by their own showing, follow 
tradition. We are laboring to effect a reform. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 65 

In doing so we refer all to the Bible. We as- 
sert its supremacy above all human teaching 
our own, as well as that of others. 

This, then, is a prominent feature of the re- 
form in which Baptists are engaged. And I 
observe it is most important and necessary. 
Especially is it necessary 

1. In combating error. If tradition be al- 
lowed in one particular, w T ho will prohibit it in 
another? Romanism is gaining ground in this 
country ; it is a religion of tradition. Who 
will oppose it? Those w r ho are themselves 
trammeled by tradition ? To every argument, 
they can retort, as they have done, " Where do 
you get your infant sprinkling ? " The most 
staunch Bomanist asks nothing more than the 
adoption of the principle, contained in the 
language already quoted, of a Protestant Pedo- 
baptist in support of infant sprinkling : " We 
should consider a man who should refuse to 
admit the truth and authority of tradition, to 
be as unreasonable as if he should refuse to 
admit the truth of written or printed records." 
No Pedobaptist can consistently oppose Bo- 
manism. There is no consistent position be- 
tween the Bomish and the Baptist church. 
Tradition leads to the one — the Word of God 
to the other. Infidelity and Bationalism, also, 



66 BAPTISTS 

are rearing their heads in our midst, and who 
shall meet them ? Their cry is, " Priestcraft, 
and ministerial dictation ! " Who shall meet 
them? Those who suffer their ministers to tell 
them what to believe, and to dictate whether 
they shall investigate a subject or not? No! 
but those who are prepared, by an independent 
investigation, and a manly appeal to the Bible, 
to show the falsity of their charges. This fea- 
ture of reform is necessary 

2. To the purity of the Church. No organ- 
ization can be pure, without a pure standard. 
Tradition is liable to perversion; there is no 
certainty about it. To-day it assumes one po- 
sition, to-morrow an opposite one. Thus it has 
ever been. The Church of Rome, though claim- 
ing infallibility, has constantly changed her 
ground of action, because governed by the 
variable standard of tradition. This is no less 
true of Protestant Pedobaptism. To-day, in- 
fants are sprinkled on one ground ; to-morrow 
that ground is abandoned, and another, directly 
opposite to it, is urged, as a reason for admin- 
istering the rite. Anon, both these are aban- 
doned, and a new position, with a new set of 
arguments is introduced. 

This is strikingly illustrated in the experi- 
ence of Simon Menno, a Romish priest, who in 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 67 

1530 was converted to Christ, and to Baptist 
sentiments, by reading the New Testament. 
He says : 

"I examined the Scriptures with diligence 
and meditated on them earnestly, but could 
find in them no authority for infant baptism. 
As I remarked this, I spoke of it to my pastor, 
and after several conversations he acknowl- 
edged that infant baptism had no ground in 
the Scriptures. Yet I dare not trust so much 
to my understanding. I consulted some an- 
cient authors, who taught me that children 
must, by baptism, be washed from their origi- 
nal sin. This I compared with the Scriptures 
and perceived that it set at naught the blood 
of Christ. Afterward I went to Luther, and 
would gladly have known from him the ground ; 
and he taught me that we must baptize chil- 
dren on their own faith, because they are holy. 
This also I saw was not according to God's 
Word. In the third place I went to Bucer, 
who taught me that we should baptize chil- 
dren in order to be able the more diligently 
to take care of them, and bring them up in the 
ways of the Lord. But this too, I saw, was a 
groundless representation. In the fourth place 
I had recourse to Bullinger, who pointed me to 
the covenant of circumcision ; but I found as 



68 BAPTISTS THOROUGH REFORMERS. 

before, that, according to Scripture, the practice 
could not stand. As I now on every side 
observed that the writers stood on grounds so 
very different, and each followed his own rea- 
son, I saw clearly that we were deceived with 
infant baptism. 55 

Can the church be pure with such a contra- 
dictory guide as tradition? Never ! 

Finally, I inquire, Does the charge of the 
text lie against any of my Christian brethren \ 
If you have neglected baptism since you be- 
lieved, because you were sprinkled in infancy, 
it most assuredly does. Your sprinkling rests 
on tradition. The Bible says, "He that be- 
lieveth and is baptized, shall be saved. 55 "Re- 
pent and be baptized, every one of you. 55 If, 
because sprinkled in infancy, you refuse now to 
obey Christ, we say to you, in His own truthful 
language, " Thus have ye made the command- 
ment of God of none effect by your tradition! 55 



LECTUEE V. 

THE SECOND FEATURE OF THE REFORM AT WHICH 
BAPTISTS AIM THE RESTORATION OF THE SPIR- 
ITUALITY of Christ's kingdom. 

" My kingdom is not of this world." — John xviii. 36. 

There was much misapprehension, during 
the ministry of Christ on the earth, concerning 
the nature of that kingdom which he was about 
to establish. It was most generally supposed, 
that it would be a temporal kingdom, differing 
from others only in its superior external splen- 
dor, its brilliant warlike achievements, and its 
universal extent. It was this false idea that so 
perplexed Herod, at the announcement of the 
birth of the infant Saviour. It was this false 
idea that led the Jews to reject their Messiah, 
when he appeared among them in the charac- 
ter of the meek and lowly One. It was this 
false idea that led the disciples, just before the 
ascension of Christ, to ask, "Lord, wilt thou at 
this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ? " 

The principles to which the Saviour gave 



70 BAPTISTS 

utterance, were calculated to remove these 
false impressions from the minds of all who 
had imbibed them. He taught his followers 
to cherish a spirit of self-denial, and humility, 
and peace. Every act of his life, and every 
word of his lips, bore testimony to the fact, 
that he came not to set up an earthly empire, 
but a spiritual kingdom ; and when he uttered 
the words of the text, " My kingdom is not of 
this world," he simply gave an exposition of 
the principles he had been teaching during his 
life. 

When the apostles were enlightened by the 
Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they 
understood perfectly the nature of this declara- 
tion ; and hence, they admitted none to visible 
membership in the gospel kingdom, but those 
who gave evidence of repentance, and faith in 
Christ. They taught that the church of which 
Jesus is the Head, was a spiritual organization, 
composed not of those who came into it by 
hereditary descent, but of those who were born 
of the Spirit. But there has been a depart- 
ure from these principles ; and organizations 
now exist, under the designation of Christian 
churches, which aim to unite the church and 
the world, and introduce the impious, and 
ungodly, and profane, into Christ's kingdom 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 71 

— thus reversing his declaration, that his 
"kingdom is not of this world." Against this 
innovation Baptists strenuously protest. We 
announce, then, as the Second Feature of the 
reform in which Baptists are engaged, 

The Restoration of the Spirituality of 
Christ's Kingdom. 

Let us inquire here, How is it, that the 
principle expressed in the text came to be 
violated? How does it happen, that others 
than those possessing the qualifications de- 
manded by the Gospel, come to have a place in 
Christ's professedly visible kingdom ? How 
comes it to pass, that what is professedly 
Christ's church, is the receptacle of the godless 
and the vile? I reply, simply through the 
introduction of the unscriptural rite of infant 
baptism. So long as the church followed the 
direction of her Lord, and baptized into her 
membership only those who gave evidence of 
faith, so long she retained her spirituality ; but 
when she permitted tradition to add to the 
Word of God, and received into her member- 
ship infants, who grew up in sin and unbelief, 
then her spirituality was exchanged for world- 
liness — then she introduced a traitor into the 
citadel, who betrayed her into the hands of her 



72 BAPTISTS 

enemies. In contending, then, for the baptism 
of believers only, we aim at the restoration of 
the principle expressed by the Saviour in the 
words of the text : " My kingdom is not of this 
world." I shall endeavor to show, 

1. That Infant Baptism tends to the Viola- 
tion of this Principle. It is an undeniable 
fact, that all Pedobaptist churches have con- 
tended that infants are proper subjects for 
membership in the church, and therefore should 
be baptized. There are two opinions, however, 
as to the grounds of infant baptism. Some 
contend that the infants of professed believers 
should be baptized because they are already 
members of the church, by their natural birth, 
while others contend that they should be bap- 
tized in order to make them members. All 
Pedobaptists, however, agree, that infants are 
proper subjects for church membership, and 
by baptism they receive such to their member- 
ship. This is true, not only of the Church of 
Rome, but of all the Protestant Pedobaptist 
denominations, as can easily be shown by their 
Confessions of Faith and writings on the 
subject. 

The Episcopal minister, at the baptism of an 
infant, says: "We receive this child into the 
congregation of Christ's flock," And again : — * 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 73 

" Seeing that this child is regenerate, and 
grafted into the body of Christ's church." And 
in the prayer he thanks God that it hath pleased 
him " to regenerate this infant, and incorporate 
him into his holy church." * M. E. Church Dis- 
cipline, Art. XYII, says : " Baptism is not only 
a sign of profession, and mark of difference, 
whereby Christians are distinguished from 
others that are not baptized, but it is also a 
sign of regeneration, or the new birth. The 
baptism of young children is to be retained in the 
church." The Presbyterian Confession of Faith 
says : " The visible church consists of all those 
throughout the world that profess the true 
religion, together with their children." f AYe 
are told again, that " Baptism is a sacrament," 
"whereby the parties baptized are solemnly 
admitted into the visible church. " J "All bap- 
tized persons are members of the church, are 
under its care, and subject to its government 
and discipline, and when they have arrived at 
years of discretion, they are bound to perform 
all the duties of church members."§ 

* Ministration of baptism of infants. 
f Westminster Confession, chap. xxv. sec. 2. 
\ Larger Catechism, question 165. 
§ Discipline of the Presbyterian church in the United 
States, chap. i. sec. 7. 



74 BAPTISTS 

This is the doctrine of all Pedobaptist de- 
nominations. . Those baptized in infancy are 
considered as sustaining the relation of mem- 
bers. The propriety of this relation is urged 
in every possible way. Says one writer, " In- 
fants may be the disciples of Christ. A disci- 
ple is a scholar ; this is the meaning of the 
word. And a child is a scholar before he learns 
his lesson, as well as afterwards. He is reck- 
oned a scholar when he is committed to the 
care of the instructor, or has his name put 
down with those who belong to the school 
whether he puts his name down himself, or 
whether his parents put it down for him. The 
church is the school of Christ. The names of 
all those to whom God's gracious covenant 
[baptism] is applied, belong upon the records 
of the church." * Here it is plainly taught that 
infants, by their baptism, are not only admitted 
into the church, but actually made disciples of 
Christ. Surely, Mr. Arnold had forgotten what 
Christ said, when he wrote the above : " If any 
man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, 
and take up his cross, and follow me." How- 
ever, I did not introduce this extract to 
combat it in this place, but simply to show 

* A Discourse on the Proper subjects of Christian Bap- 
tism, by Rev. Samuel Arnold, p. 10, 11, 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 75 

that Pedobaptists contend for infant member- 
ship. 

Another writer says : " This relation of chil- 
dren to the church is generally represented, by 
the most respectable authors, as infant mem- 
bership. Against this I can see no valid objec- 
tions. In a very important, though in a very 
qualified sense, baptized children may be con- 
sidered as infant members of the Christian 
church.'' * 

Says Dr. McDowell : " By baptism children 
become members of Christ's visible church." 
He says again, " Children by baptism, are 
brought under the watch-care of the church, 
and become the subjects of its wholesome 
discipline." f 

From these quotations, (and they might be 
increased indefinitely,) it will be clearly seen 
that infants become members of Pedobaptist 
churches by baptism ; and these infants are the 
constituent elements of which these churches 
are composed. Having thus been admitted 
members in infancy, they retain their connec- 
tion with the church after they are grown up, 
however vicious and abandoned they may be- 
come. Though they are sometimes guilty of 

* Rev. Dr. Woods, Lectures on Infant Baptism, p. 170. 
f Theology, vol. ii. pp. 493, 494. 



76 BAPTISTS 

such vile crimes as to merit their exclusion 
from society, and their confinement in the 
penitentiary, still they are not excluded from 
the church; and though they sometimes die 
under the hand of the public executioner, with- 
out any evidence of repentance, they die as 
members of the church into which they were 
baptized. Is not this uniting the church and 
the world " until death doth them part ? " 

Although these remarks apply, more particu- 
larly, to national churches — all of which are 
Pedobaptist — as the Romish, Greek, Lutheran 
and English Episcopal, who all receive and re- 
tain infant members, however vicious they may 
become, yet the same is true, in some sense, of 
all other Pedobaptist churches. Dr. Woods, 
speaking of the duty of the church to its infant 
members, says : " On the question whether the 
church ever ought, by a public act, to cut off 
those who give evidence of obstinate impiety, 
there have been various opinions." " It is, in 
my view, utterly inexpedient to attempt to fix 
upon any particular age, at which those who 
were baptized in infancy, and who exhibit no 
evidence of piety, are to be abandoned by the 
church, as those for whom no farther efforts are 
to be made. For, suppose you fix upon the 
age of eighteen, or twenty, or twenty-one; 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 77 

who can be sure that a youth at that age 
though without any evidence of regeneration, 
may not be in a state of mind which is more 
susceptible of good impressions, and which 
affords more hope of salvation, than at any 
period of his life before ? 'Now if any person 
should be in this state, and the church should 
adopt a principle like what I have referred 
to, they must forthwith exclude such a person 
from all the advantages of their Christian friend- 
ship ; and they must do this at a time when 
those advantages would be most highly prized." 
"We are not to attend to present appearances; 
but are to consider the forbearance and long- 
suffering of God, and the multiplied instances 
in which His grace has visited those who had 
long lived in sin, and who, in human apprehen- 
sion, had been fitted for destruction. And 
when those who have been devoted to God in 
baptism, wander far and long from the path of 
duty, and show fearful symptoms of obduracy, 
we are not quickly to despair of their salvation, 
but are to follow them with every effort which 
the sincerest love can dictate. And when no 
other effort seems to promise any good, we are 
to abound in prayer, relying on the infinite 
grace of God, and earnestly hoping that our 
prayers will prevail and that our children will 



78 BAPTISTS 

at length be persuaded to consider their ways, 
and turn to the Lord." * 

From this it will be perceived that those 
who are made members of Pedobaptist churches 
in infancy continue such when grown up — that 
they are not to be excluded, no matter how 
ungodly they become, so long as hopes may be 
entertained of their conversion ; or, in other 
words, so long as they live. This, we know, is 
the practice of Pedobaptists universally. Is not 
this uniting the church and the world ? 

Now let it be remembered, that I have thus 
far confined my remarks to the effects of infant 
membership where only the children of pro- 
fessedly pious parents are admitted into the 
church by their baptism in infancy. How 
much more palpable does this evil appear, 
when we extend our observation to the prac- 
tice — which exists, to a greater or less extent, 
in almost every Pedobaptist community — of 
baptizing the children of unconverted parents. 
The majority of Pedobaptists do not require 
piety as a condition in the parents, but simply 
a desire to have their children christened. 
There is nothing in the standards of any 
Pedobaptist church that actually prohibits 
the baptism of children of unconverted parents. 
* Lectures on Infant Baptism, p. 173-175. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 79 

The Presbyterian Confession of Faith appears 
to prescribe limits, but it does not actually do 
so, nor is it so understood by the ministry of 
that church. Says Dr. McDowell, " Seeing 
that a person by baptism has become a member 
of the visible church, although destitute of 
piety, and although he gives the church no 
evidence of visible piety, yet on what ground, 
or in what way can he be kept back from 
baptism for his child ? I answer, let him be 
seriously and solemnly told the nature of bap- 
tism," etc. " If this were properly done, it 
would have a great effect in keeping back many 
improper persons/' * I might, if it were neces- 
sary, furnish instances where Presbyterian 
ministers have baptized the children of uncon- 
verted parents without the least hesitation. 
But the worst feature of all is, that in some 
cases unconverted persons are urged to bring 
their children to baptism. Suppose, however, 
that in all cases, none but the children of truly 
pious parents were admitted to infant bap- 
tism and membership — would this remove the 
evil? Are such children any better than 
others? ~No ; for like all others, they are born 
with carnal and depraved natures. They are 
of the world — they belong to it ; and notwith- 
* Theology, vol. ii. p. 484. 



80* BAPTISTS 

standing their religious parentage, they are 
"children of wrath even as others," until re- 
generated by the Holy Spirit. As they ad- 
vance toward maturity, they exhibit the same 
enmity to God, and the same evil passions, and 
the same sinful inclinations manifested by 
others. Some of them become notoriously 
vile ; yet they are not to be excluded ; but they 
retain their membership, into which they were 
brought in their infancy, and continue in it to 
the day of their death. 

Now this is directly opposed to Christ's 
declaration : " My kingdom is not of this 
world." It is directly opposed to the practice 
of the apostles. It is directly opposed to the 
New Testament description of church mem- 
bers. They are there described as a spiritual 
seed, lively stones, saints, sincere believers. 
But are baptized infants of this description? 
Do they possess the qualities which in the 
New Testament are invariably ascribed to 
church members ? By no means. And yet 
they are received into what are professedly 
evangelical churches; and thus the spirituality 
of Christ's kingdom has been destroyed by in- 
fant baptism. " The church of Christ, bought 
with his blood, and ordained by him to be the 
fold of his sheep, the home of the renewed, in 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 81 

the world but not of it, has been robbed of its 
true design, by being converted into a common 
receptacle for the pure and the impure — a 
great drag-net, inclosing all alike." 

Infant baptism tends directly to amalgamate 
the church with the world. It is by means of 
this, that the church of Rome has spread her 
baneful influence over so many nations. This 
is abundantly evident from the fact, that 
through the christening of children she has 
made whole nations nominally Christian, teach- 
ing just what all other churches who baptize 
infants teach, that by their baptism they are 
made members of the church of Christ. Thus 
do Protestant Pedobaptists indorse the false 
teachings of Pome, and give their strength to 
the Beast, by propping up the main pillar on 
which Antichrist rests ! I proceed to show 

2. That the practice of Baptists is in accord- 
ance with the teachings of Christ. Baptists 
regard the kingdom of Christ as a purely 
spiritual organization, separate and distinct 
from the world. Acting upon this conviction, 
they admit none to baptism and membership, 
but such as profess their faith in Jesus, and 
give satisfactory evidence that they have 
"passed from death unto life." They recog- 
nize no hereditary claims to the covenant of 



82 BAPTISTS 

grace. They claim no " holiness " for their off- 
spring, arising from their natural birth, which 
entitles them to a place in God's spiritual 
temple ; but regarding them as carnal, depraved 
and unholy, they constantly feel the impor- 
tance of urging upon them their own personal 
obligations to " repent and be baptized in the 
name of Jesus Christ;" while infant damnation 
has no place in their creed, for the simple 
reason that, like infant baptism, its supposed 
antidote, it is not found in the Bible. They 
aim to show that Christ's "kingdom is not of 
this world." They receive none but professed 
converts, and when these walk disorderly, they 
withdraw themselves from them. They are 
laboring to reform both Protestant and Papal 
Christendom on this point, which they regard 
of vital importance to the best interests of the 
church and the world. Let their principles 
prevail, and there can be no unhallowed union 
of Church and State, no amalgamation of 
Christ's kingdom with the world ; but the 
Church, with undimined lustre will shine forth x 
her glory unobscured, her ordinances uncor- 
rupted, and her membership uncontaminated, 
and instead of being " the mistress of the State, 
or the courtesan of the world — as pedobaptism 
has in too many instances made her — she 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 83 

will appear in all her loveliness as the Bride of 

Christ ! " 

From these remarks it will be seen, that 
infant baptism is not that harmless, innocent 
thing which many suppose it to be ; but the 
parent of gigantic evils ; the fruitful source of 
the existence of state churches, and most of 
the corruptions flowing therefrom; the instiga- 
tor of all the persecutions which have ever 
been waged in the name of Christianity 7 ; a 
lying refuge and hiding-place of falsehood to 
ensnare and ruin souls ; in short, the originator 
and propagator of Popery. 

Infant baptism is an error from beginning to 
end — corrupt in theory and corrupting in prac- 
tice; born in superstition, cradled in fear, 
nursed in ignorance, supported by fraud, and 
spread by force. With a tyrant hand it has 
shed the blood of martyrs in torrents in all 
lands. The introduction of infant baptism was 
the death-knell of religious liberty in the 
Christian communities where it was practiced. 
The first persecutions ever raised in the name 
of Christianity, were waged by the advocates 
of infant baptism against those who, adhering 
to the teachings of Christ and the apostles, 
denied its validity. The council of Carthage 
(A. D. 414) passed the following canon : " We 



84 BAPTISTS 

will that whosoever denies that little children 
by baptism are freed from perdition and eter- 
nally saved, that they be accursed." The edict 
of Honorius and Valentinian III. (A. D. 413) 
forbids rebaptism throughout the Roman em- 
pire under the penalty of death. This of 
course was aimed at those who considered infant 
baptism as unscriptural, and immersed believers 
after they had confessed their faith in Christ, 
even though they had been baptized in infancy. 
Justinian, in the beginning of the sixth century, 
ordered new-born infants to be baptized, under 
a penalty for neglecting it. Under laws like 
these, enforced as they were in the middle ages 
with new and most sanguinary edicts in all the 
states of Europe, what multitudes must have 
become martyrs, may be conjectured from the 
fact that at the time of the Reformation Bap- 
tist martyrs were counted by tens and even 
hundreds of thousands. 

Now, as we love the Word of God, the 
commands and example of Christ, the purity 
of the Christian Church, and the souls of men, 
we are bound unceasingly to labor for the 
extermination of this monster evil, this child 
of Tradition ! In seeking to effect this reform, 
we shall use no carnal weapons, but simply 
adhere to the word of God, the precepts of 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 85 

Christ, and the practice of the apostles, and 
urge all others to do the same. 

You perceive again, that while we differ 
from most other evangelical bodies merely as 
to an external ordinance, apparently, here is 
another great principle involved in that differ- 
ence. Let me urge all to seek from the Bible 
a knowledge of the characteristics of those who 
composed the primitive churches, and see 
whether they will apply to the constituents of 
Pedobaptist churches. And if not, then " come 
out from among them," and aid those who are 
laboring to effect a reform which will restore 
the spirit uality of the church, and clothe it 
w r ith that moral beauty and attractiveness of 
which pedobaptism has shorn it. If you do 
this, and are proselyted, you will have prosely- 
ted yourselves ; and such are the only kind 
of proselytes Baptists can make. 

In concluding this lecture, I cannot refrain 
from saying a few words to those who have 
been baptized in infancy, and are yet conscious 
that they have never been "born again." I 
am induced to do this, because I am reminded 
that my attention was first led to a candid 
investigation of the subject of baptism, by 
discovering that, though unconverted, I was a 
member of the church, — having been made so 



86 BAPTISTS THOROUGH REFORMERS. 

by my baptism in infancy. This incongruous 
position you sustain. Though in the world, 
and of the world, you are also in the church, 
and of the church ! You are not responsible, 
I am aware, for the inconsistency of the 
position you occupy. You were brought into 
it while in unconscious infancy, without your 
knowledge and consent. But, I inquire, do 
you not feel that such a relation is perfectly 
inconsistent with your own ideas of what the 
Bible teaches? A moment's reflection, I feel 
confident, if you are really Protestants, will 
convince you of it. At all events, I urge you, 
as Protestants, to search the Bible in reference 
to this matter, with the hope that you may be 
led, as I was, to see your unfitness for a place 
in Christ's kingdom, and to seek and obtain 
salvation through Jesus Christ, and then act 
consistently, by uniting with those who aim to 
restore the spirituality of Christ's church, by 
faithfully adhering to his own declaration; — 
" My kingdom is not of this world." 



LECTURE VI. 

THE THIRD FEATURE, ETC. THE PROPAGATION OF 
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND THE RIGHTS OF CON- 
SCIENCE. 

" Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, 
and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. 
And Jesus said, Forbid him not/' — Luke ix. 49, 50. 

The Gospel of Christ not only differs from 
all other systems of religion in the superior 
excellence of the truths it reveals, but also in the 
directions it gives for the propagation of its 
doctrines. Other systems seek to advance 
themselves by invoking the aid of the secular 
power, and by forcing men, against their con- 
victions, to accept a theory repugnant to their 
views. They have thus succeeded in throng- 
ing their temples with hypocritical worshippers, 
bound to their altars through fear and slavish 
dread. These systems, in order to maintain 



88 BAPTISTS 

themselves, find it necessary to proscribe and 
persecute all who differ from them, either in 
their articles of belief or mode of worship. But 
the Gospel of Christ, though it is the infallible 
truth of God, expressly prohibits a resort to any 
such measures for its advancement. It not only 
teaches its adherents to utterly abandon the use 
of carnal weapons for its propagation, but it 
also charges them not to proscribe those who 
may differ in their views or mode of worship. 
This principle is directly expressed in the text 
and its connection. The teaching of the Sav- 
iour has been violated, however, even by his 
professed followers ; and, in the name of the 
meek and lowly Jesus, men have gone forth 
with proscription, oppression, and persecution, 
to advance their own opinions, and crush out 
that liberty of thought, and those rights of con- 
science vouchsafed to man by his Maker, and 
the free exercise of which is alone compatible 
with his personal accountability. One body 
of Christians has always shunned this mode 
of procedure; and in seeking to advance the 
truth, they have never engaged in persecution 
of any kind, though they have been themselves 
more bitterly persecuted than any others. I 
propose to prove that Baptists have always 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 89 

been the pioneers in the Propagation of Relig- 
ious Liberty and the Rights of Conscience. 

I shall endeavor here to define what relig- 
ious liberty is. The views of many Protestants, 
even in this land of liberty, are exceedingly 
imperfect, and in some instances surprisingly 
erroneous, on this subject. Many consider 
toleration as synonymous with religious liberty ; 
but a moment's consideration will exhibit the 
vast difference between the two. Toleration is 
the allowance of that which is not wholly ap- 
proved. As applied to religion, the term is 
objectionable; because it presupposes the exist- 
ence of some mere human authority, which has 
power to grant to, or withhold from man the 
exercise of freedom in matters of religion — and 
this is Popery. Our Creator, however, has 
nowhere delegated such authority to king, or 
priest, or any human organization whatever ; on 
the contrary, he has shown, by the very nature 
of the soul of man, and the Revelation given to 
him, that it is his inalienable right to exercise 
his judgment without restraint in religious 
matters, and give expression, freely and fully, 
to his religious convictions, without human 
dictation or interference. 

It is manifest, that if the right to tolerate 



90 BAPTISTS 

exists in man, the right to prohibit, and to dic- 
tate to the conscience, must also exist with it ; 
and thus toleration becomes merely another 
name for oppression. Toleration, therefore, is 
not religious liberty. 

Religious freedom recognizes in no human 
organization the right or the power to tolerate. 
It does not stoop — either to magistrate or min- 
ister, pope or priest — to humbly ask leave or 
beg permission to speak freely, or act out its con- 
victions ; but it speaks and acts, because, in the 
exercise of its own right, it chooses to do so. It 
simply asks, with Paul, " Lord, what wilt thou 
have me to do ? " and having ascertained God's 
will, it goes forth to do it, though a host of 
priests, or a thousand executioners, stand ready to 
execrate and slay it. It acknowledges no human 
authority competent to come between the con- 
science and its Maker in reference to his will and 
its duty. Religious liberty does not exist where 
there is no recognition and acknowledgment of 
this right — the right of every individual of the 
human race, to think, and choose, and act for 
himself in religious matters. 

Baptists have always strenuously contended 
for the acknowledgment of this principle, and 
have labored to propagate it. Nowhere, on the 



THOROUGH KEFOKMEIiS. 91 

page of history, can an instance be found of Bap- 
tists depriving others of their religious liberties, 
or aiming to do so ; but, wherever they are found, 
even in the darkest ages of intolerance and per- 
secution, they appear to be far in advance of 
those who surround them, on this important 
subject. This is simply owing to their adher- 
ence to the Gospel of Christ in its purity. 
Here religious liberty is taught in its fullest 
extent; and it was only when the Christian 
church departed from God's Word, that she 
sought to crush the rights of conscience ; and 
only when she fully returns to it again, will she 
cease to cherish a desire to do so. 

The Reformation which took place in the 
sixteenth century, while it aimed to remove 
many of the abuses of Popery, still did not rec- 
ognize religious liberty. " There is not a con- 
fession of faith, nor a creed, 1 ' says Underbill, 
"framed by any of the Reformers, which does 
not give to the magistrate a coercive power in 
religion, and almost every one, at the same time, 
curses the resisting Baptist." " It was the crime 
of this persecuted people, that they rejected sec- 
ular interference in the church of God ; it was 
the boast and aim of the Reformers everywhere 
to employ it. The natural fruit of the one 



92 BAPTISTS 

was persecution — of the other, liberty." * The 
Baptists stood entirely alone, as the defenders 
of the rights of conscience. All the Reformed 
communities agreed that it was right for the 
magistrate to punish those who did not wor- 
ship according to the prescribed rule of their 
churches ; and it was for opposition to this fea- 
ture of religious oppression, in connectioii with 
their adherence to believer's baptism, that 
brought upon the Baptists those severe persecu- 
tions which they were called to endure. They 
contended for religious liberty ; the Reformed 
churches opposed it, and committed themselves 
to a course fatal to the rights of conscience. I 
again quote from Underhill : 

" Honor, ease, and wealth flowed in upon the 
opposers of religious liberty, but tribulation 
unto death was the portion of those who ven- 
tured to advocate it. Most affectingly does the 
eminent Simon Menno refer to this contrast: 
6 For eighteen years, with my poor feeble wife 
and little children, has it behooved me to bear 
great and various anxieties, sufferings, griefs, 
afflictions, miseries, and persecutions, and in 
every place to find a bare existence, in fear and 
danger of my life. While some preachers are 
* " Struggles and Triumphs of Religious Liberty," p. 86. 



THOKOUGH REFORMERS. 93 

reclining on their soft bed and downy pillows, 
we are often hidden in the caves of the earth ; 
while they are celebrating the nuptial or natal 
days of their children, and rejoicing with the 
timbrel and the harp, we are looking anxiously 
about, fearing lest persecutors should be sud- 
denly at the door ; while they are saluted by 
all around as doctors, masters, lords, we are 
compelled to hear ourselves called Anabaptists, 
ale-house preachers, seducers, heretics, and to be 
hailed in the devil's name. In a word, while 
they for their ministry are remunerated with 
annual stipends, our wages are the fire, the 
sword, the death." * 

ISTow, why was this ? Did these Baptists de- 
serve such treatment at the hands of their per- 
secutors? Let a Catholic historian (Cardinal 
Hosius, President of the Council of Trent) re- 
ply : " If you behold their cheerfulness in suffer- 
ing persecution, the Anabaptists run before all 
the heretics. If you have regard to the number, 
it is like that in multitude they would swarm 
above all others, if they were not grievously 
plagued and cut off with the knife of persecu- 
tion. If you have an eye to the outward ap- 
pearance of godliness, both the Lutherans and 

* " Struggles and Triumphs of Religious Liberty/' p. 88. 
1* 



94 BAPTISTS 

Zninglians must needs grant that they far pass 
them. If you will be moved by the boasting 
of tbe Word of God, these be no less bold than 
Calvin to preach, and their doctrine must stand 
aloft above all the glory of the world, must 
stand invincible above all power, because it is 
not their word, but the Word of the living 
God." * 

It is evident, then, that the Baptists suffered 
merely because they maintained that they ought 
" to obey God rather than man." They found 
no direction in the Bible for the baptism of in- 
fants, and therefore they refused to observe the 
rite. The Reformed or Protestant churches 
sought to force them to do it, in opposition to 
their convictions. They maintained that this 
was also contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, 
and thus, in defence of the Bible, and the rights 
of conscience, they died. 

As a proof of this let me give you one 
among very many other instances which might 
be produced. Balthazar Hubmeyer of Fried- 
burgh, Switzerland, who with his wife, suffered 
martyrdom in 1528, at the hands of the Protec- 
tant Reformers, for the sin of being a Baptist, 
was originally a learned and eloquent Roman 

* " Struggles and Triumphs of Eeligious Liberty," p. 89. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 95 

Catholic preacher, and while among them was 
called a Doctor of the Holy Scriptures. By 
the illumination of the Holy Spirit he was so 
convinced of the abominations of Popery, that 
following the counsel of God, he separated 
himself from it. He afterward rejected, among 
other Popish errors, infant baptism, and taught 
with all possible zeal, the immersion of be- 
lievers accordino; to the command of Christ. 
In company with one hundred and ten others, 
he was baptized by William Roubli, one of the 
earliest Swiss Baptists, and for some time a 
pastor at Basle. He himself baptized some 
three hundred persons in the few following 
months. He published a work on baptism, 
which brought, in the autumn, a virulent reply 
from Zuingle, the great Protestant Swiss lie- 
former. Some of the Baptists were cast into 
prison, and so cruel were the proceedings, that 
even the populace complained that injustice 
w T as done to them. 

Hubmeyer published a tract, in which he 
complains of Zuingle and his followers : That 
they had proceeded at one time so far as to 
throw, into a dark and miserable tower, twenty 
persons, both men and pregnant women, wid- 
ows and young females, and to pronounce 



96 BAPTISTS 

this sentence upon them — that thenceforward 
they should see neither sun nor moon for the 
remainder of their lives, and be fed till their 
days were ended with bread and water, and that 
they should remain in the dark tower together, 
both the living and the dead, surrounded with 
filth and putrefaction, until not a single sur- 
vivor of the whole remained. "Oh, God!" 
writes this good man, " what a hard, severe, 
cruel sentence upon pious Christian people, of 
whom no one could speak evil, only that they 
had received water baptism in obedience to the 
command of Christ." Hubmeyer courageously 
went to the stake, and was burned to death on 
the 10th of March, 1528. His wife was also 
the partner of his sufferings. She was com- 
demned to death by drowning, and in the river 
Danube found a watery grave. 

No matter whether Romanists or Protes- 
tants gained the ascendancy — the Baptists were 
presecuted by both alike. The reason of this 
was, that they claimed for the church of Christ, 
and the consciences of men, freedom from all 
human control. This was their distinguishing 
trait ; and it was the assertion of this principle 
that brought them into collision with every 
form and ceremony of human invention in the 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 97 

worship of God, and every effort to bind the 
conscience to observe them. To worship God 
aright, the spirit must be free ; for true wor- 
ship is voluntary, and can only come from a 
willing heart. 

From what I have submitted, it will be 
seen that the Baptists stood alone, as the de- 
fenders of religious liberty, during the progress 
of the Reformation, and for many years after. 
It will also be seen, that their idea of the church, 
composed of none but believers, immersed on 
the profession of their faith, was the grand 
cause of the separation of the Baptists, as indi- 
viduals and communities, from all the ecclesi- 
astical organizations supported by the Reform- 
ers and their successors. From the very nature 
of the case, there could be no union between 
them ; from the first they were opposites, and 
so they remained. The Baptists occupied an 
independent and original position ; they were 
neither Romanists nor Protestants, but thor- 
ough religious reformers, elevating their stand- 
ard of religious liberty far above the most 
exalted ideas of Protestant toleration. 

And thus it continued to be, till the estab- 
lishment of the American Republic. Other 
denominations contended for toleration ; Bap- 



98 BAPTISTS 

tists demanded for themselves, and all others, 
religious liberty — the right of every one to 
worship God as he might choose. Even the 
Puritans, who fled from persecution in England, 
had no idea of religious liberty. They came 
here to establish their own faith, and to exclude 
all others; hence they were more rigidly intol- 
erant than the countries whence they had fled 
from persecution. "Intolerance was a neces- 
sary condition of their enterprise. They feared 
and hated religious liberty." * 

All who did not conform to their views, 
were fined and imprisoned, and whipped and 
banished ; and, as Baptists were especially op- 
posed to religious oppression, the heaviest per- 
secutions fell upon them. Hence, in 1644, a 
law w T as passed in Massachusetts against the 
Baptists, by which it was " ordered and agreed, 
that if any person or persons within this juris- 
diction shall either openly condemn or oppose 
the baptism of infants, or seduce others to do 
so, or leave the congregation during the ad- 
minstration of the rite, he shall be sentenced 
to banishment." The same year we accord- 
ingly find that a poor man was tied up and 

* Dr. Ellis, Lecture before the New England Histor- 
ical Society, March 11, I860, 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 99 

whipped for refusing to have his child sprin 
Med; and on July 20, 1651, Obadiah Holmes, 
John Clark, and John Crandall, Baptist minis- 
ters, were arrested near Lynn, Massachusetts, 
while preaching on the Lord's day, taken to the 
parish church in the afternoon, sent to the Bos- 
ton jail, and subsequently fined. The fines 01 
Clark and Crandall were, after a while, paid, 
but Mr. Holmes was kept in Boston jail till 
September, when he was tied to the whipping- 
post and publicly whipped. His clothes were 
stripped off, and thirty lashes sunk into his 
naked flesh, which was so torn and cut that 
for weeks afterward he could only rest upon 
his hands and knees even in bed. 

This same spirit of persecution was mani- 
fested against Roger Williams. In 1639, he 
became a Baptist, and in 1643 went to Eng- 
land from New York, because he had been 
banished from Boston. In March, 1644, he 
obtained the charter for the colony of Rhode 
Island, with power for the colony to make its 
own laws ; and in September, 1644, under that 
charter was established the first government 
on earth that granted full religious liberty. It 
was the first spot the sun had ever shone upon 
where the rights of conscience were full; 



100 BAPTISTS 

knowledged, and it was founded by a Baptist ; 
and it may be considered the germ of that 
religious liberty which all American citizens 
now enjoy, for up to the very dawning of 
the American Revolution, and even after that 
period, Baptists continued to struggle and suf- 
fer heroically for religious liberty. 

In Virginia, where the first permanent col- 
ony in America was established, the charter 
bearing date 1606, fourteen years before the 
Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Baptists were bit- 
terly persecuted. By law, a fine of two thou- 
sand pounds of tobacco was imposed on " those 
who neglected to have their infants baptized." 

Baptist ministers were arrested and im- 
prisoned as vagrants ; some were pulled down 
from the stand as they were preaching, insulted 
and whipped, and many were imprisoned for 
preaching the Gospel. Elders John Waller, 
Lewis Craig, and James Childs were seized at 
a meeting, June 4, 1768, dragged before the 
magistrate, and imprisoned for forty-three days 
in Fredericksburg. Mr. "Wofford was severely 
scourged, and carried the scars to his grave. 

Dr. Hawks, historian of the Episcopal Church 
of Virginia, says : " No dissenters in Virginia 
experienced harsher treatment than did the 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 101 

Baptists. They were beaten and imprisoned, 
and cruelty taxed its ingenuity to devise new 
modes of punishment and annoyance." 

But the Baptists struggled on. On Septem- 
ber 5, 1774, a Congress elected by the people of 
twelve colonies met at Philadelphia to consult 
for the general interests. The Warren Baptist 
Association of Rhode Island sent an agent — 
Rev. Isaac Backus, who with his mother, broth- 
er, and uncle, had suffered imprisonment for 
being Baptists — to Philadelphia, to join with 
the Philadelphia Baptist Association in present- 
ing a memorial to Congress to secure religious 
liberty. But they met opposition ; some even 
accusing the Baptists of trying to break up the 
Union, when they merely advocated universal 
religious liberty ! 

The Declaration of Independence was 
adopted by the Continental Congress in Phil- 
adelphia, July 4, 1776. But the Declaration 
of Independence did not remove oppressive 
laws from colonial or State statute-books. In 
Virginia, for four years after the Declaration 
of Independence, marriages performed by Bap- 
tists were unlawful, their children declared ille- 
gitimate, and their inheritances lost. Not until 
1785, was religious liberty fully established by 



102 BAPTISTS 

law in Virginia — Thomas Jefferson, whose 
father was a Baptist, being the author of the 
bill. In 1809, writing to the members of the 
Baptist Church at Buck Mountain, whom he 
acknowledged as his coadjutors in the work, 
he says : " We have acted together from the 
origin to the end of a memorable revolution, 
and we have contributed, each in the line allot- 
ted us, our endeavors to render its issues a per- 
manent blessing to our country." * 

A National Constitution for the United States 
was adopted in 1787. Its provisions were 
satisfactory as far as they went, but religious 
liberty was not sufficiently guarded. The 
Baptist General Committee of Virginia, in 1788, 
expressed their disapproval of this important 
omission, and, after consultation with James 
Madison, this committee, in August, 1789, wrote 
to General Washington, then President of the 
United States, saying that they feared that lib- 
erty of conscience, dearer to them than property 
or life, was not sufficiently guarded. Washing- 
ton gave them a kind and encouraging reply, in 
which occurs the following language : " While 
I recollect with satisfaction that the religious 
society of which you are members have been, 

* Dr. Curry's Address, p. 54. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 103 

throughout America, uniformly, and almost 
unanimously, the firm friends of civil liberty, 
and the persevering promoters of our glorious 
Revolution, I cannot hesitate to believe that 
they will be the faithful supporters of a free yet 
efficient general government." 

In the next month that immortal First 
Amendment to the Constitution was adopted by 
Congress : " Congress shall make no law re- 
specting an establishment of religion, or pro- 
hibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging 
the freedom of speech or of the press, or the 
right of the people peaceably to assemble and 
petition the government for a redress of griev- 
ances." Thus were Baptists the propagators of 
our religious liberty. 

Baptists have not changed since the Refor- 
mation, or the clays of Washington. Their 
principles are still the same ; and these princi- 
ples bind them to the propagation of religious 
liberty. The very constitution of a Baptist 
church is compatible only with enjoyment of 
such liberty. It is composed of those who have 
exercised an intelligent choice, and v^ho, in the 
possession of liberty to go elsewhere unmo- 
lested, have preferred to unite with it. Like 
true philanthropists they desire that all others 



104 BAPTISTS 

may enjoy equal freedom with themselves. 
They would use their liberty in endeavoring to 
liberate others. Infant baptism they regard as 
one great source of the destruction of religious 
liberty ; in laboring therefore to lead its adher- 
ents to abandon it, they are seeking to effect a 
reform which will leave the conscience free to 
act according to its own convictions of God's 
requirements, which Pedobaptism prevents it 
from doing. 

It is sometimes said that these persecutions 
of Baptists by Protestants, must be attributed 
to the age in which they lived. How then 
are we to account for Baptists being so much 
in advance of the age ? In contrast with the 
spirit of Zuingle (p. 11), mark the sentiments 
expressed by Jeronimus Segerson, who with his 
wife suffered martyrdom in September, 1551, 
one by burning, and the other by drowning, for 
the sin of being Baptists. They were both in 
prison at the time, separated from each other. 

" We must likewise wrestle with enemies ; 
that is, we must wrestle here in this world with 
emperors, with the powers and princes of this 
world. We must in this world suffer, for Paul 
has said, ' that all that will live godly in Christ 
Jesus must suffer persecution.' We must com- 



THOKOrGH REFORMERS. 105 

pletely conquer the world, sin, death, and the 
devil, not with material swords and spears, but 
with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word 
of God, and with the shield of faith, where- 
with we must quench all sharp and fiery darts, 
and place on our heads the helmet of salvation, 
with the armor of righteousness, and our feet be 
shod with the preparation of the Gospel. Be- 
ing thus strengthened with these weapons, we 
shall oppose and overcome all our enemies." 

The same spirit has ever been manifested 
by Baptists, While others clamored for lib- 
erty and toleration when they were oppressed, 
and then, as soon as they came into power, be- 
gan to oppress others, Baptists have claimed 
religious liberty for all, and have heroically 
suffered that all men might be free. Not in 
the age, but in the error of infant baptism, lies 
the root of state churches and religious perse- 
tions; and only as Baptist influence keeps these 
in check, will Pedobaptism be prevented from 
bringing forth its legitimate fruit in the destruc- 
tion of religious liberty. 

Wherever Pedobaptism has had the oppor- 
tunity to develop itself, it has always produced 
oppression and persecution, both in Romish 
and Protestant communities. Its direct ten- 



106 



BAPTISTS 



dency is to crush religious liberty, and destroy 
the rights of conscience. This is capable of 
proof, not merely from history, but from the 
very nature of the thing itself. Let me de- 
monstrate this. 

By infant baptism a person is committed, 
while unconscious, to a certain church; he is 
made a member of that church. Now, unless 
that church is infallible, it has no right to make 
a person a member without his consent ; for, 
it may commit him to an alliance with error, 
and to the defence of it. But all churches are 
fallible, they may err ; a person who is made a 
member of such a church in infancy, may dis- 
cover an error in that church when he arrives 
at maturity. Without his own consent, he has 
been committed to that error ; he was not left 
free to choose, where it is evident, from the 
nature of things, a choice might have been ex- 
ercised. Pedobaptism is therefore inconsistent 
with liberty. 

This will more fully appear from the fol- 
lowing : All Pedobaptists agree that there is 
more than one mode of baptism. They all 
teach, also, that baptism is to be administered 
but once to the same individual. It is evident, 
then, from their own admission, that a choice 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 107 

may be exercised as to the mode ; but they ad- 
minister baptism to a child, while in a state of 
unconsciousness, and, according to their own 
teaching that person is never to be baptized 
again, however much he may prefer another 
mode — which they all admit to be equally valid 
—when he is converted. Multitudes find them- 
selves thus embarrassed on arriving at matu- 
rity, and on experiencing conversion. They 
feel that their liberty has been taken away ; 
and that, according to the teaching of their 
church, they cannot exercise a choice, where 
that very church admits that a choice might 
be made, if they were free. In order to enjoy 
liberty, they must of necessity go to the 
Baptists. * 

* It was thus with the author of these Lectures. He 
was sprinkled in infancy, and made a member of the 
Presbyterian Church. On arriving at " years of discre- 
tion/'' and on experiencing conversion, his mind was led 
to the investigation of the subjects and mode of baptism. 
He came to the conclusion that believers were the only 
subjects, and immersion the only mode. But he found 
that, on account of his infant baptism, he could not be 
immersed, as a believer, in the Presbyterian Church. 
For, their Confession of Faith teaches that baptism is not 
to be repeated to the same subject, and he could not ask 
any minister of that church to so far forget his own self- 
respect, as to deliberately violate his ordination vows, 



108 BAPTISTS 

If any should strenuously contend for only 
one mode of baptism, it should be Pedobaptists ; 
for, they administer baptism when the subject 
knows nothing about it, and then maintain that 
it must not be repeated. They ought to be able, 
when the baptized child comes to years of under- 
standing, to prove from the Word of God, be- 
yond the possibility of a doubt, that the mode 
adopted by them was the only correct one. 

These remarks apply with equal force to the 
subjects of baptism. Suppose a Pedobaptist 
child is conscientiously convinced that he should 
be baptized after repentance and faith ? He 
must either leave the church of which he is a 
member, or continue with it while he violates 

which bind him to sustain that Confession of Faith ; nei- 
ther would he have accepted immersion at the hands of 
such a one, had it been offered. But he saw at once 
that his liberty had been taken away. He looked at the 
children of Baptists, who, while they had been instructed 
just as religiously as himself, were not trammelled by an 
act done for them when they could make no choice. He 
saw that they were free to act as their consciences, en- 
lightened by the Word of God, might dictate. He there- 
fore acted consistently, and united with that sect which 
is " everywhere spoken against." And the opposition 
of relatives, all of whom were Pedobaptists, only quick- 
ened his steps toward the platform of religious liberty — 
a Baptist church. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 109 

its teachings, or give up his religious liberty, 
and neglect his known duty. Numerous in- 
stances might be given to prove this. I will 
relate one, which illustrates this point. 

Mrs. C, of Wethersfield, Connecticut, was 
sprinkled in infancy (neither of her parents 
being at the time professors of religion), by 
Rev. Dr. Chapin, pastor of a Pedobaptist church 
in that place. On arriving at maturity, she 
experienced conversion, and desired to be re- 
sprinkled, but was refused. She then asked 
for her letter, which was also refused. After 
a long effort to persuade her to relinquish 
her purpose, she at length obtained her letter, 
and united with a Baptist church five miles 
distant. 

Further, Pedobaptism tends to crush relig- 
ious liberty, because it leads parents to do vio- 
lence to the consciences of their children. 'Bap- 
tized children, when they are converted, fre- 
quently become Baptists in sentiment ; but they 
are often forced to unite with Pedobaptist 
churches against their choice, or remain with- 
out a public profession of faith, or join the 
church of their choice at great sacrifice, and 
with much opposition. 

Now Roman Catholics are far more consist- 
2 



11 BAPTISTS 

ent in this matter than Protestants who pursue 
such a course. They are taught that to leave 
the Romish church involves the certain loss of 
the soul ; they are therefore bound, in order, as 
they suppose, to save their children from per- 
dition, to keep them from becoming Protestants. 
But Protestants, generally, admit Baptists to 
be correct in all that is essential to salvation ; 
if they oppose the union of their children with 
the Baptists, they exhibit more bigotry than 
the Romanist. 

Remember, religious liberty involves the 
right to think, examine, decide, and choose for 
ourselves in all matters between the conscience 
and its Maker. This, Baptists seek to propa- 
gate ; and to this, Pedobaptism, both in the 
Romish and Protestant bodies, is opposed. In 
contending, then, for the baptism of believers 
only, we contend for man's dearest rights — the 
rights of conscience. 

Let Baptist principles prevail, and there 
will be no forcing the conscience, no forestalling 
the judgment ; but man, free to act intelligently 
and understanding^, according to the light he 
possesses, will render to God voluntary obedi- 
ence, none desiring to " molest him or make 
him afraid. 55 



LEOTUEE YIL 

THE FOURTH FEATURE OF THE REFORM AT WHICH 

BAPTISTS AIM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE 

EQUALITY OF CHRIST^ DISCIPLES. 

" One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are 
brethren. "—Matt. 23: 8. 

One of the most inveterate sins of fallen 
humanity, is pride. Man thirsts for power. 
He loves to be elevated above his fellows, and 
to occupy a position of acknowledged superior- 
ity. He delights to be clothed with a little 
brief authority, which will enable him to look 
on all around him as his inferiors, It is the 
working of this spirit of arrogance and assump- 
tion that has created so many grades among 
men, both in the world and in the church. 
The disciples of Christ were infected with 
this spirit. They had imbibed it from the 
Jewish elders — the Scribes and Pharisees. 
They thirsted for the possession of such a 
degree of power and authority, as would entitle 
them to dictate to and rule over their brethren. 
Hence, we find them frequently disputing who 



112 " BAPTISTS 

should be the greatest. Christ invariably re- 
buked this spirit on every occasion of its mani- 
festation. He taught them humility. He 
showed them that the principles of his gospel 
were opposed to all such sentiments of pride, 
and that instead of favoring the arrogant 
wishes of depraved humanity, it was designed 
to convert mankind into a universal brother- 
hood, all possessing equal rights, acknowledg- 
ing but one Head, one Superior, one Master, 
even himself. He taught that his church was 
to be an association of brethren, all its mem- 
bers subject to one law, and all amenable 
to one tribunal, the voice of the church. 

But how sadly has the teaching of Christ 
on this subject been perverted ; and the pro- 
fessedly Christian church, instead of present- 
ing to us the beautiful picture of a band of 
brethren, meeting together on the broad plat- 
form of equality, exhibits an array of grada- 
tions in authority, which vies with the most 
despotic governments of the world. Priestly 
arrogance and ministerial assumption of au- 
thority are exhibited on almost every hand, in 
both the Protestant and Papal churches; and 
from the class-leader to the mitred bishop — 
from the ruling elder to the triple-crowned 
Pope — there is a violation of Christ's declara- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 113 

tion : " One is your master, even Christ, and 
all ye are brethren." Eeform here is needed ; 
and I announce, therefore, as the Fourth Fea- 
ture of the reform at which Baptists aim, 

The Establishment of the Equality of 
Chrises Disciples. 

I. It will devolve on me to show, in the 
first place, that such equality does not generally 
exist. In Romish and Protestant churches 
there is no recognition of equality among pro- 
fessed disciples of Christ. I suppose I need 
not stop to prove this assertion in reference to 
Romanism. All acknowledge that there are 
grades of power, both temporal and ecclesiasti- 
cal, in that church. Even her most devoted 
adherents will not deny it. On the contrary, 
they admit and defend it. 

Let us, then, turn to the Protestant churches. 
And first we will notice the Episcopal. Does 
this church recognize equality among her 
members ? We reply, No ! She has distinct 
and separate grades ; and not only is the 
ministry above the laity, but there are three 
grades in the ministry ; deacons, priests and 
bishops. In England, the bishops of this 
church, by virtue of their office, are clothed 
with temporal power. They are peers of the 



114 BAPTISTS 

realm — that is, nobles of the land. The arch- 
bishop of Canterbury has the appointment of 
all the bishops, and is the highest nobleman of 
England. The archbishops hold authority over 
all the bishops. The bishops hold authority 
over all the churches, and inferior clergy, in 
their respective dioceses. They appoint minis- 
ters to their charges ; they suspend, degrade, 
and excommunicate them. In America there 
are no archbishops. But the bishops, though 
possessing no civil power, have the same 
ecclesiastical power as those in Englaud. The 
church has no voice in her government. In 
the Triennial Convention, the bishops form a 
separate house distinct and superior to the 
clergy and laity. The appropriate language of 
the bishops in England would be: " One is 
our Master, the archbishop, and all we are 
lords ; " while both in England and America 
there is no recognition of the equality taught 
by Christ. 

But let us look again at the Presbyterian 
church. Does equality reign here? Do all 
her members stand on the broad even platform 
of the Gospel? Can they say, "One is our 
Master, even Christ?" Let them answer for 
themselves. Both in their Confession of Faith 
and Form of Government, we find that the 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 115 

government rests not in the hands of the 
church, but in the session, presbytery, synod 
and General Assembly. These bodies attend 
to all the business of the church. An individ- 
ual church has no power to act in the reception 
of members, the exclusion of members, the 
calling or dismissing of a pastor, or any other 
act of government which Christ has com- 
mitted to his church. Other masters are rec- 
ognized besides him. 

The whole tendency of Presbyterian church 
government is to exalt the ministry in their 
authority above the church. Indeed, the min- 
istry belong to a different order. They do not 
belong to the church as the other members do ; 
they belong to the Presbytery. The church 
can not discipline a minister; neither can the 
session try him ; but the presbytery must do it. 
Lest these assertions should startle any who 
fc have never examined the subject, permit me to 
give a few quotations from printed documents. 
The "Westminster Confession says : — " The 
Lord Jesus, as king and head of his church, 
has therein appointed a government in the 
hand of church-officers. To these officers, the 
keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, 
by virtue whereof they have power, respective- 
ly, to retain and remit sins, to shut that king- 



116 BAPTISTS 

dom against the impenitent, both by the word 
and censures, and to open it unto penitent 
sinners as occasion shall require." * These 
officers we are told, by the Form of Govern- 
ment, are "Bishops or pastors, ruling elders 
and deacons." The same Form of Govern- 
ment gives us the character of all the different 
bodies composed by these officers, for the gov- 
ernment of the church. " The church session 
consists of the pastor or pastors, and ruling 
elders of a particular congregation;" and "it 
is expedient, at every meeting of the session, 
that there be a presiding minister. When, 
therefore, a church is without a pastor, the 
moderator of the session shall be either the 
minister appointed by the presbytery for that 
purpose, or one invited by the session." 
Again, we are told that among other things 
" it is the duty of the session to receive mem- 
bers into the church, or exclude from the 

* Westminster Confession, chap. xxx. sec. 1, 2. Is it 
not surprising that a church claiming to be so orthodox 
as the Presbyterian, should retain in its Confession of 
Faith, a section tending so directly to bolster up the 
Eomish doctrine of priestly absolution? Suppose an 
honest inquirer after truth in the Romish church should 
meet this, in his researches ; would he not begin to think, 
and with good reason, that Presbyterianism and Roman- 
ism differ only in name ? 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 117 

church those who deserve it, and to appoint 
delegates to the higher judicatories of the 
church." * The church cannot act in receiv- 
ing her own members. The session attends to 
this for her. A majority of the members of 
the church might be opposed to the reception 
of an individual, but if the session receive him, 
he is admitted. On the other hand, a person 
may fall under the censure of the session, and, 
though all the church beside may esteem, him 
a Christian, the session has power to exclude 
and excommunicate him. Is this equality? 
This is more fully exhibited in the Directory 
for Worship. We are told that when baptized 
children " come to years of discretion, if they 
be free from scandal, appear sober and steady, 
and to have sufficient knowledge to discern the 
Lord's body, they ought to be informed it is 
their duty and privilege to come to the Lord's 
Supper. The years of discretion in young 
Christians cannot be precisely fixed. This 
must be left to the prudence of the eldership. 
The officers of the church are the judges of 
the qualifications of those to be admitted to 
sealing ordinances ; and of the time when it is 
proper to admit young Christians to them." f 

* Form of Government, sections 1, 4, 6. 
f Directory for Worship, chap. 9, sec. 1, 2. 



118 BAPTISTS 

It is here implied that the church, that is, the 
inferior members of it, as distinct from the 
session, is not possessed of sufficient prudence 
to judge of the qualifications of those who are 
to be admitted to the Lord's table with them. 

But further, the Presbytery has power over 
the session and the church. By this body the 
rights of the church to call and dismiss a 
pastor are taken away. When a Presbyterian 
church calls a pastor, the call is not made to 
him, but to the Presbytery. " The call shall 
be presented to the Presbytery under whose 
care the person called shall be; that, if the 
Presbytery think it expedient to present the 
call to him, it may be accordingly presented ; 
and no minister or candidate shall receive a 
call, but through the hands of a Presbytery." * 
So, also, the minister himself is subject, not to 
the church, but to the Presbytery. He can 
not move without the permission of this body. 
" No pastor shall be translated from one church 
to another, nor shall he receive any call fo; 
that purpose, but by the permission of the 
Presbytery." " The Presbytery, on the whole 
view of the case, shall either continue him in 
his former charge, or translate him, as they 
shall deem most for the peace and edification 

* Form of Government, chap. xv. sec. 9 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 119 

of the church." * It is here implied that the 
Presbytery is more competent to judge of the 
affairs of a church, and to decide what is for 
its good, than the church itself. The church 
may think it best for their pastor to remove 
from them ; but the Presbytery may think it 
best for him to stay; the only alternative the 
church has, is to starve him out, and this they 
cannot do, so long as they have real estate 
enough to pay his salary. This system is 
degrading to freemen, and insulting to 
Christianity ! 

Next to the Presbytery is the Synod, and 
then the General Assembly. The Session 
must submit its doings to the Presbytery, the 
Presbytery to the Synod, and the Synod to the 
General Assembly. Is this equality I 

The Dutch Reformed church is governed in 
a manner similar to the Presbyterian. 

Let us turn our attention for a moment 
to the Methodist Episcopal church. Shall Ave 
find equality here ? No ; for its very name 
shows that its government is prelatical. I 
need not enlarge on this point ; for no one, 
surely, will pretend that there is equality in 
this church. Its founder expressly disavows 
any idea of it. He says, in a letter to John 
* Form of Government, chap. xvi. sec. 1. 



120 



BAPTISTS 



Mason, dated Jan. 13, 1790, " As long as I 
live the people shall have no share in choosing 
either stewards or leaders among the Method- 
ists. We are no republicans, and never intend 
to be. It would be better for those who are so 
minded to go quietly away/' There are more 
grades in the Methodist Episcopal church than 
in any other Protestant community ; and any 
one who will read the " Discipline," will be 
convinced of it. A private member in the 
church has no voice whatever in the govern- 
ment. Private members are amenable to the 
class-leader — the class-leader to the preacher 
— the preacher to the presiding elder — the 
presiding elder to the bishop. Is this equal- 
ity ? The people have no voice in electing or 
dismissing their preacher, but must take who- 
ever is sent, and let him go at the expiration 
of three years. The preacher has no choice of 
his field of labor. He must go just where the 
bishop may please to send him. The church 
does not receive or expel either her ministers 
or members. The circuit preacher has power 
to expel private members — the quarterly confer- 
ence to expel local preachers, deacons and 
elders — the yearly conference to expel travel- 
ling preachers — the general conference to expel 
bishops. Is this equality ? Read the follow- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 121 

ing question and answer in the Methodist 
Discipline, in reference to the ordination of an 
elder, and then read the text. 

u Will you reverently obey your chief minis- 
ters, unto whom is committed the charge and 
government over you ; following with a glad 
mind and will their godly admonitions, and 
submitting yourself to their godly judgments ? 
" I will do so, the Lord being my helper." * 
Chief ministers ! chief ministers ! who are 
they ? " One is your master, even Christ, and 
all ye are brethren." Surely, the language of 
Christ, and the language of the Discipline are 
very dissimilar. These churches, whose forms 
of government I have reviewed, compose the 
great majority of the professedly christian 
world. It is evident, then, that such equality 
as the text teaches does not generally exist. 

II. I proceed to show, in the second place, 
that Baptists seek to establish such equality. 
The principles of church government in the 
Baptist denomination are expressed in the 
text : " One is your master, even Christ, and 
all ye are brethren." There is no opportunity 
for the assumption of authority by a few, if it 
were desired. All meet on the broad, even 
* Discipline, part II. chap. iii. sec. 2. 



122 BAPTISTS 

platform of equality. The rich and the poor, 
the minister, deacons, and people, are all breth- 
ren. The pastor is no more, the poorest mem- 
ber is no less, than one of the brethren. Each 
church, in its collective capacity, transacts its 
own business, exercises its own discipline, and 
receives and excludes its own members, subject 
only to the authority of Christ, and governed 
only by his Word. On all questions, every 
member of the church has an equal right 
to speak and to vote. There is no authority 
superior to the church, to reverse its decisions, 
or to call it to account. The pastor, while he 
has no superior authority, has equal rights 
with the rest of his brethren. If called to 
another Held of labor, he is at liberty to go 
without asking leave of a bishop, presbytery, 
or council. He is perfectly free to act in 
accordance with his own views of duty and his 
own convictions of right. 

In a Baptist church there is perfect equality. 
It could not be otherwise. They recognize 
the church as a voluntary organization, into 
which persons enter by their own choice, and 
whose privileges and benefits all have an equal 
right to share. Christ has nowhere delegated 
his authority to a body of arrogant ministers, 
or prelatical bishops, or blasphemous popes j 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 123 

and Christians have no right to recognize and 
uphold the assumption of authority by them. 
It is not a matter of indifference. To support 
the assumptions of men, who have arrogated to 
themselves authority which belongs only to 
Christ, is to engage with them in rebellion 
against the one only Master ; and where this is 
done knowingly, such cannot be held guiltless. 
In laboring, then, to advance Baptist senti- 
ments, we aim to exalt Christ as the supreme 
and only Lawgiver and Ruler in Zion, in the 
place of presbyters, and bishops, and councils, 
and popes, who have usurped his throne. 

But some suppose that every church has a 
right to make its own laws, and to alter these 
laws to suit times, and circumstances, and 
places. Now, if the church was a merely 
human organization, this might be correct 
reasoning. But all churches claim to be of 
divine origin, and to have divine authority for 
their constitution and government. It is evi- 
dent, therefore, that all cannot be right, for 
God cannot sanction contradictions. Further, 
if every church has a right to establish its own 
form of government, then the Romish church 
has an equal right with any Protestant church 
to invent and establish one, and no Protestant 
who take? this ground can consistently say a 



124 BAPTISTS 

word against the Papal hierarchy. And if all 
are right, then right and wrong are no longer 
opposites. But all are not right. Christ has 
taught, in his Word, that the highest authority 
on earth is the church. Plence, in giving his 
apostles directions how to proceed in cases of 
offence, he designates the church as the su- 
preme and final umpire. " Tell it to the 
church ; and if he neglect to hear the church, 
let him be to thee as a heathen man and 
a publican." Tell it to the church ; not to the 
session, or presbytery, or sj-nod, or general 
assembly, or council, or conference, or bishop, 
or cardinal, or pope, but to the church ; and if 
he neglect to hear the church — what then ? 
appeal? No; there is no higher authority to 
appeal to ; for " One is your master, even 
Christ, and all ye are brethren." The creation 
of other tribunals is the result of the arrogance 
of men who love to " lord it over God's heri- 
tage ; " and the support of them is owing 
mainly to the influence of just such men, and 
their willing dupes. Baptists are willing to be 
" all brethren ; " the ministry have no desire 
to be exalted to a position of rivalry to the 
Master in his church. 

In order more forcibly to exhibit the contrast 
between Baptists and the other most prominent 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 125 

sects, let us suppose Christ to come again upon 
earth, and visit the places of worship in New- 
York city and preach from this text. See him 
enter St. Patrick's cathedral. The Cardinal 
receives him very graciously, elated with the 
idea that the claim of Kome to be the church 
is thus sanctioned by the Saviour, and he 
invites him to preach. He announces this text, 
and preaches as he did upon the plains of 
Judea: "Ye know that they which are ac- 
counted to rule over the Gentiles, exercise 
lordship over them, and their great ones exer- 
cise authority over them ; but so shall it not be 
among you : but whosoever will be great 
among you shall be your servant; and whoso- 
ever of you will be the chiefest, shall be the 
servant of all. Be not ye called rabbi; for one 
is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are 
brethren." The Cardinal grows uneasy; he 
reminds the Preacher of the Pope, the Car- 
dinals, the Archbishops, the Bishops, the 
Father Confessors, the Priests ; but the Divine 
Teacher asserts that these are distinctions 
which men have made, and reiterates the doc- 
trine of the text — universal equality among 
his disciples. The Cardinal denounces the 
Saviour as a heretic, and he is thrust out. He 
then wends his way through our great thor- 
oughfare to Trinity Chinch. Here he is 



126 BAPTISTS 

cordially received, for the Episcopal also 
claims to be the Church, and here he repeats 
the sermon. But he is reminded of the Arch- 
bishops, the Bishops, the Triennial Convention, 
the Priests, the Deacons. He pronounces 
these grades all contrary to his teaching. The 
Bishop intimates that he is probably a fanati- 
cal dissenter, and he is politely handed to the 
door. He visits in succession a Presbyterian 
and a Methodist congregation with the same 
sermon ; in the former he is reminded of the 
Session, Presbytery, Synod, General Assembly ; 
in the latter, he is cautioned about the " chief 
ministers;'' and the Class-leader, Steward, 
Preacher, Presiding Elder, Bishop, with their 
respective powers, are set before him; and for 
simply reiterating his own teachings, he is 
treated as a disturber of the peace, and put out 
of both places. See him now seek a Baptist 
pulpit. His sermon is just in accordance with 
their practice. There is nothing among them 
with which it comes in contact; no grades — 
none to exercise lordship or authority over 
them : " for one is their Master, even Christ, 
and all they are brethren." A sincere 
"Amen," is the response from every heart, and 
the world's Redeemer, banished from the Ro- 
mish and Protestant assemblies, finds a refuge 
and a home in every Baptist church ! 



LECTUEE VIII. 

THE FIFTH FEATURE OF THE REFORM AT WHICH 

BAPTISTS AIM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE 

CORRECT PRINCIPLE OF BIBLICAL TRANSLATION. 

" And the Lord answered me and said, Vv 7 rite the vis- 
ion and make it plain upon tables, that he may run 
that readeth it/'— Hab. 2 : 2. 

God's solicitude for man's well-being and 
eternal salvation is truly wonderful. Having 
made a revelation of His will, lie is anxious 
that no ambiguity or indefiniteness should 
obscure his commands from his erring crea- 
tures. He wishes to afford to ruined man all 
the advantages possible, in order that he may 
be saved from the fearful consequences of his 
sin and guilt. Hence, he has not involved his 
duty in mist and uncertainty, but, on the con- 
trary, he has revealed plainly all his moral 
requirements and positive institutions. In ad- 
dition to this, he has expressly commanded 
those to whom is committed the great work of 
transcribing his will for others, to do it so 
plainly, that every duty may be recognized with 



128 BAPTISTS 

such ease, " that he may run that readeth it. 5 ^ 
But alas ! alas ! the express command of Jehovah 
has been violated, and his benevolent designs 
toward our race in a measure frustrated, by the 
efforts of those with w T hom the advancement of 
sect, and the propagation of human dogmas, is 
of more importance than the glory of God and 
the salvation of souls. 

Translators have not scrupled to bow to the 
mandate of kings, the dictation of councils, 
the restrictions of Bible Society boards, and the 
promptings of sectarian prejudices, until the 
bare enunciation of the principle contained in 
the text, has come to be denounced as sectari- 
anism; and faithful obedience to the plain 
requirements of Jehovah in this respect, is 
assailed as a close and narrow bigotry. This 
state of things calls loudly for reform. I pre- 
sent, then, as the Fifth Feature of the reform 
at which Baptists aim, 

The Establishment of the Correct Principle 
of Biblical Translation, 

In presenting this theme, let us inquire, 

I. What is the Correct Principle on which 

Translations of the Holy Scriptures should be 

made ? To this I reply, that they should be 

conformed, as nearly as possible, to the in- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 129 

spired originals. Let it be remembered, that 
the Bible which we possess is a translation. 
The words of our English version are invested 
with Divine authority, only so far as they 
express just what the original expresses. I 
present this thought because there is, in the 
minds of many, a superstitions reverence for 
the words and phrases of our English version. 
This being a translation, partakes more or less 
of the imperfections of the translators; and, in 
every instance where the original is not clearly 
and fully translated, it is the word of man, and 
not the Word of God. The Old Testament 
was originally written in Hebrew, and the New 
Testament in Greek. In translating, therefore, 
into English, or Burmese, or French, or Ger- 
man, or Bengali, or any other language, it is 
evident to any one, that the Hebrew and the 
Greek should be the standard to which these 
translations should be conformed. 

It is further evident, that every word, that is 
capable of being translated, should be rendered 
into any other language so as to express just 
what the original did to those to whom it was 
given. There must be no transfer of a He- 
brew or Greek word into English or Burmese, 
for such a word would be unintelligible to the 
mere English or Burmese reader ; and he must 



130 BAPTISTS 

wait till some one, who understands these 
languages, shall come and explain to him the 
meaning of such words. Let me illustrate : — 

Suppose an aged father, a Frenchman, writes 
a letter of instructions to his children and 
grandchildren, just as the former are about to 
emigrate to the United States. The letter 
is written in the French language, and is readi- 
ly understood by the children. But the grand- 
children grow up in ignorance of the French 
language, though they understand the English 
very well. Their parents die and leave the 
letter in their possession. In order to under- 
stand it, they must have it translated. Now 
suppose the person employed to translate, 
leaves here and there a word in French — 
untranslated. Those w r ords would be unintelli- 
gible to them. They would be transferred, not 
translated. In order to be a good translation, 
the letter must express in English, just what 
the original expressed in French. So With the 
Scriptures ; the correct principle of translating 
them is to make them speak to all the nations 
just what they spake to those who had them from 
the hand of God — just what the originals express. 

That this principle is correct, is evident, also, 
from the fact that all Protestants, in discus- 
sions, appeal not to the translations that have 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 131 

been made, but to the original. They regard 
the original only as the standard. In the 
Westminster Assembly's Confession of Faith 
we find the following : — u The Old Testament 
in Hebrew, (which was the native language of 
the people of God of old,) and the New Testa- 
ment in Greek, (which, at the time of the wri- 
ting of it, was most generally known to the 
nations,) being immediately inspired by God. 
and by his singular care and providence kept 
pure in all ages, are therefore authentical ; so 
as, in all controversies of religion, the church 
is finally to appeal unto them." * And this 
is the practice of all Protestants. It is evident, 
then, that all translations should be made to 
conform to the original, which is the standard 
of appeal. But I observe, 

II. This Principle has teen Generally Aban- 
doned. There is no Bible Society, supported 
by Pedobaptists, that is pledged to the faithful 
translation of the Word of God from the in- 
spired originals. In England and America the 
English version, which is acknowledged to 
have many defects, is made the standard, in- 
stead of the original. Nor is this all. Even 
this is not translated fully into the heathen 

* Westminster Confession, chap. i. sec, 8. 



132 BAPTISTS 

tongues — some words are transferred, not trans- 
lated. They are perfectly incomprehensible to 
those who read them until some one comes and 
explains them, and he may explain them just 
to suit his own views. 

The British and Foreign Bible Society of Eng- 
land, composed of all evangelical denominations, 
passed a resolution, on the 1st July, 1833, vir- 
tually declining aid to translators of the Bible 
in foreign languages, unless " the Greek terms 
relating to baptism be rendered, either accord- 
ing to the principles adopted by the translators 
of the authorized English version, by a word 
derived from the original, or by such terms as 
may be considered unobjectionable by the 
other denominations of Christians composing 
the Bible Society ." 

It had been the practice of the missionaries 
to translate these words, as well as all others. 
Now you perceive the resolution does not charge 
them with unfaithful translation, neither does it 
charge them to faithfully render the words 
into the language of the heathen; but it 
requires them to adopt the principle of the 
English translators, which was to transfer and 
not translate certain words, which, if trans- 
lated, would not yield that support to infant 
baptism which the transfer of them does. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 133 

The American Bible Society, composed of 
all evangelical denominations, in February, 
1836, passed the following preamble and reso- 
lution : — " As the managers are now called to 
aid extensively in circulating the sacred Scrip- 
tures in languages other than the English, they 
deem it their duty in conforming with the 
obvious spirit of their compact, to adopt the 
following resolution as the rule of their con- 
duct in making appropriations for the circula- 
tion of the Scriptures in all foreign tongues : 

"Resolved, That in appropriating money for 
the translating, printing or distributing the 
Sacred Scriptures in foreign languages, the 
managers feel at liberty to encourage only such 
versions as conform, in the principles of their 
translations, to the common English version; 
at least so far, as that all the religious denom- 
inations represented in this Society can con- 
sistently use and circulate said versions in their 
several schools and communities." * 

Here, again, you perceive there is an aban- 
donment of the correct principle. That princi- 
ple requires a faithful translation from the 
original. But the resolution just quoted re- 
quires that the English version, which, as I 

* These resolutions still govern the Society in its 
appropriations, 



134 BAPTISTS 

have before stated, is acknowledged to contain 
errors of translation, be made the standard. 
And even this is to be conformed to, only so 
far as that "all the denominations represented 
in the Society " can consistently use the ver- 
sions made from it. These two societies rep- 
resent pretty- nearly the entire Protestant 
world in England and America. Now any one 
will perceive, that while such resolutions were 
in force, no missionary, who was governed by 
them, could attempt to faithfully translate 
from the original into the languages of the 
heathen. Consequently if a word occurred in 
the Greek which, if translated, would not suit 
all denominations, it must be transferred, and 
then the heathen could not understand it till 
it was explained by a missionary, and he might 
explain it just to suit his own creed. Instead, 
then, of having God's Word, which they would 
have, if the original was translated, they have 
in every instance, only the word of man. 

Let me, before I leave this division of my 
subject, exhibit the evils of this course. No 
principle that is correct can be violated without 
evil results. We have seen that the correct 
principle of Biblical translation is violated by 
all Pedobaptist organizations ; we may there- 
fore look for evil as its legitimate fruit. The 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 135 

principle on which they act is, that it is right 
to make such versions, and such only, as shall 
teach Pedobaptist sentiments. Because Bap- 
tists refused to transfer Greek words into the 
heathen tongues, and insisted on translating 
them, they were thrust out. But, in order to 
make the Bible teach pedobaptism, it must be 
mutilated. Let us now look at the fruits of this 
in heathen lands. The first missionaries, and 
the first Bible translators, were Baptists. 
Hence, the first versions made in heathen 
tongues were faithful translations. After these 
translations had been circulated, the pedobap- 
tist missionaries began to circulate their ver- 
sions, in which words relating to baptism, and 
other words, were transferred. The heathen 
convert, when he read the translated word, 
could understand it, and knew what to do. 
But when he read the transferred word, he 
could not understand it ; he must wait till he 
could find a teacher to tell him what it meant. 
If he met a Baptist missionary, he would tell 
him that the word meant to immerse. Then 
he would ask, " Why does it not read so ? " 
What could the missionary say ? He would 
have to say, " The translator who produced 
that version was bound by his Bible Society to 
put that word in." And if pressed for a rea- 



136 BAPTISTS 

son for this, he must tell him of all the differ- 
ences and disputes among Christians at home. 

But suppose he meets a Pedobaptist. He 
tells him it means to pour, or it means to 
sprinkle. But the convert would ask him, 
" Why not put it so ? we have words in our 
language which mean to pour or sprinkle." 
What would he say ? He must give a reason ; 
and he could assign no reason which would not 
awaken the suspicion of the converted pagan. 

Take another case. A Baptist mission has 
been established ; all has been harmonious. 
A transfer version falls into the hands of the 
people, and at once all is confusion and dis- 
trust, and the cause of Christ is arrested. I 
present these cases, because it has generally 
been represented, by Pedobaptists, that the 
Baptists have introduced controversy among 
the heathen nations on this subject; whereas, 
just the reverse of this is the case. It could 
not be otherwise ; for the Baptists were the 
first to occupy heathen ground, and they had 
translated the Scriptures into many languages 
before a Pedobaptist transfer version was made. 
On these Pedobaptists rests the guilt, not only 
of mutilating God's Word, but, through this 
means, of reviving, on heathen shores, those 
dissensions which have distracted and retarded 



THOROUGH REFORMERS* 137 

the cause of the Redeemer at home. Again, 
another evil of this course is, that it leads to 
the circulation of versions that teach known 
and soul-destroying errors. It will be per- 
ceived that the rule governing Pedobaptists is 
one of expediency . They do not require that 
the Word of God be faithfully translated, but 
that it be made to suit the majority. All the 
translator has to do is, to ascertain what is 
expedient. It may be expedient to transfer other 
words, and the rule adopted does not prevent 
him from doing it. This word may refer to 
faith, or something else that is fundamental, 
and the withholding of which may peril the 
soul. But I need not dwell on what might be; 
I will simply show what is done. The Spanish 
Testament employs the words, " Hacer peni- 
tencia," as the translation of the Greek word 
/LLsravoeo), to express the duty of repentance 
as enjoined in the original. But these 
words signify " to do peuanee," and are 
thus understood by the Spaniards them- 
selves. When they wish to express our idea 
of repentance, they use the word " arrepen- 
tirseP Yet this version is circulated and sus- 
tained by the American Bible Society. But 
how did they come to translate it so ? Simply 
by abandoning the correct principle of Biblical 



138 BAPTISTS 

translation. Instead of taking the Hebrew 
and the Greek as the standard, they took the 
Latin Vulgate, which is a Roman Catholic ver- 
sion, and translated from that; and, as ex- 
pediency was their rule, they found it expe- 
dient to suit the Catholics; and therefore 
the Pope permits it to be used, while he is 
mortally opposed to Protestant versions of the 
Holy Scriptures; and thus the money of Pro- 
testants is taken to promote Romanism. Let 
me here state another fact, that should make 
the ears of every Pedobaptist tingle with 
shame. While the American Bible Society 
was circulating this Catholic version, with mon- 
ey contributed by Protestants, they refused to 
aid, as they had been doing, the Baptists, 
in faithfully translating the Word of God, 
though they w r ere generous contributors to 
their funds. 

In the same Spanish version, printed and 
circulated by the American Bible Society, 
Heb. xi. 21, reads thus: "By faith, Jacob, 
about to die, blessed each one of the sons of 
Joseph, and worshipped the top of his staff P 
The idea conveyed to the mind of a Roman 
Catholic by this verse is the worship of an im- 
age on the top of his staff; and thus absolute 
idolatry is sanctioned and propagated by the 



THOROrGH REFORMERS. 139 

Society which, with holy horror, withdraws its 
aid from Baptist missionaries, because they 
would translate all the Word of God, the words 
relating to baptism not excepted. 

But we push our reasoning a little further. 
Suppose the Pedobaptists only claim the right 
to transfer the words relating to baptism. If 
they have a right to do this, then any denom- 
ination has a right to transfer those words, 
which, if translated, would be fatal to its pecu- 
liar views. The Roman Catholic may transfer 
the Greek word fisravot^ and have Luke 13:3 
read, "Except ye metanoeo* ye shall all likewise 
perish;" and the priest can explain it to u do 
penance;" and the Pope might contribute to 
the support of a Bible Society that would 
agree to transfer every word that does not suit 
him when translated. The Unitarian may 
transfer ehg, and have John 1 : 1 read, "In the 
beginning was the Word, and the Word 
was with God, and the word was theos ; " and 
the minister can explain it to mean " a supe- 
rior, intelligent creature." The Universalist 
may transfer auovtov, relem-da, etc., and have Mat- 
thew 25 : 26 read, " These shall go away into 
aionion punishment ; " and the minister can 
explain it to mean " the grave ! " Or they can 
have Mark 9 : 41 read, " Where their worm 



140 BAPTISTS 

teleuteth not, and the fire is not sbennutai? 
Then the preacher can explain it to mean, 
" where their worm ' troubleth ' not and the 
fire is not ' hurtful.' " 

Now this would be as justifiable, as for the 
Pedobaptist to transfer panrifa, and then explain 
it to suit his own views. And further, if Pe- 
dobaptists have a right to withhold a part of 
God's Word, because a part is opposed to their 
teachings, then Eome has a right to withhold 
ally because all is opposed to her teachings ; 
and again Protestantism is found bolstering up 
Popery. I proceed to show, 

III. The Baptists aim to Restore and Estab- 
lish the Principle of the Text. Baptists only 
desire to know and to teach God's commands 
— and they desire that all others may know 
them. They aim, therefore, in giving the 
Bible to the world, to follow the Divine re- 
quirement given in the text: "Write the vision 
and make it plain, that he may run that read- 
eth it." In all their efforts to spread the 
Gospel, they have endeavored faithfully to 
translate the Word of God, from the original, 
into the language of the people ; seeking to 
make it so plain, that if a copy of their trans- 
lation should fall into the hands of a person 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 141 

who has no living teacher near him, he could 
ascertain from it all the commands of God. 
The instructions given to their missionaries by 
the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, are as 
follows : — 

" Resolved, That the Board feel it to be 
their duty to adopt all prudent measures to 
give to the heathen the pure Word of God in 
their own languages, and to furnish their mis- 
sionaries with all the means in their power to 
make their translations as exact a representa- 
tion of the mind of the Holy Spirit as possible. 

Resolved^ That all the missionaries of the 
Board who are, or who shall be, engaged in 
translating the Scriptures, be instructed to 
endeavor, by earnest prayer and diligent study, 
to ascertain the precise meaning of the original 
text, to express that meaning as exactly as the 
nature of the languages into which they shall 
translate the Bible will permit, and to transfer 
no words which are capable of being literally 
translated" 

What a contrast does this present to the 
resolutions adopted by the Pedobaptists ! To 
this principle of faithful translation, the Bap- 
tists have always strenuously adhered. Efforts 
have been made to induce their missionaries to 
abandon it, but these have been in vain, 



142 BAPTISTS 

When their versions have been translated, and 
ready for the press, money has been offered to 
{print; if they would conceal a part of God's 
"Word, by transferring certain words. On the 
17th of April, 1836, at a meeting of the mana- 
gers of the American Bible Society, the sum of 
$5,000 was appropriated to the Baptist Board of 
Foreign Missions, to promote the circulation 
of the Scriptures in foreign tongues, which 
" money would be paid over, if our foreign 
versions were conformed, in the principles of 
their translation, to the common English ver- 
sion ;" that is, transfer, and not translate, the 
words relating to baptism. The grant was 
conscientiously refused. Efforts of a similar 
kind were made by the British and Foreign Bible 
Society to procure the transfer of the words in 
the Bengali version. But all was in vain ; the 
Baptists loved the correct principle too well to 
abandon it for the hope of a mere temporary 
advantage, which would, in the end, paralyze 
their efforts in the conflict with error. If 
these versions of the Baptists had been proved. 
unfaithful, it would have been different ; there 
would then have been some show of reason in 
the course pursued by the Pedobaptists. This, 
however, was not the case ; their great defect 
was, that they were not so mutilated as to 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 143 

make it possible for Pedobaptists to teach their 
views to the heathen. Or, if Baptists had 
mutilated God's Word to make it teach their 
own sentiments, it would have been different. 
But they were never guilty of this, nor have 
they even been charged with it. How then 
did the Pedobaptists seek to justify them- 
selves ? Why, they raised the cry that they 
were sectarian versions ; which, when exam- 
ined, simply means, that the faithful transla- 
tion of God's Word teaches just what Baptists 
practice, and condemns the practice of Pedo- 
baptists. 

But, neither smiles nor frowns, threats nor 
bribes, flattery nor slander, can move us from 
our attachment to God's Word, and our obedi- 
ence to his requirement to give his will, faith- 
fully translated, to all the nations of the earth. 
Our conflict with error may be long, but we 
have no doubts as to the final issue. God has 
honored, and will honor, those that honor him ; 
and in no way can we honor him more highly 
than in a firm and constant adherence to 
faithful translations of his Holy Word. 

From what I have submitted, it will be per- 
ceived that sprinkling, and infant baptism, 
have led to this desire for the mutilation of 
God's Word : and that those w T ho adhere to 



144 BAPTISTS 

this perversion of God's ordinance, are giving 
their sanction to the abandonment of the cor- 
rect principle of Biblical translation. Their 
example, their influence, and their money, go 
to support these mutilated versions. Further, 
I remark, that the Pedobaptist rule of non- 
translation of certain words, like their appeal 
to tradition, paralyzes their power to combat 
Romanism. How can they condemn the Po- 
pish practice of denying the Bible to the peo- 
ple, when they adopt the very principle of 
Popery ? The Roman Catholic priest can say : 
" We only keep back what is opposed to our 
practice, and you Pedobaptists do the same." 
What could a Protestant Pedobaptist translator 
say to this ? 

Surely, this question about baptism is not so 
insignificant, seeing it involves such great con- 
sequences ! If the magnitude of a thing is 
to be judged of by its results, it is certain that 
the question of baptism is one of vast impor- 
tance. As such, I urge the investigation of it 
upon every honest man. At all events, from 
the printed resolutions which I have quoted, all 
must perceive that the correct principle of 
Biblical translation is with the Baptists. 

In concluding this lecture, I invite your 
attention to one or two inferences from the 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 145 

text : — " Write this vision and make it plain, 
that he may run that readeth it." I infer, 
that all we are to believe and practice is made 
plain in the Word of God, unless obscured in 
the translation. Infant baptism, therefore, 
either was ftever commanded by Jehovah, or 
else it has been obscured in the translation 
of his Word ; for none, with the teaching of 
the Bible alone would ever discover it to be 
their duty to have children baptized. Those, 
therefore, who practice infant baptism, ought 
strenuously to contend for a faithful transla- 
tion, that the obscurity which conceals this 
duty from the common reader may be re- 
moved. But I find that Pedobaptists oppose 
faithful translations ; I therefore conclude that 
God never commanded infant baptism. 

I infer, again, that we are to follow that 
which is plainly taught in the Bible, rather 
than what is doubtful. The Eomanist may 
tell me that I ought to pray to the Virgin 
Mary, and seek the intercession of the saints ; 
but while I read the plain declaration of 
God's Word, " There is one God, and one 
Mediator between God and men, the man 
Christ Jesus," I will follow the Bible, and let 
the Eoman Catholic go. The Unitarian may 
tell me, that Christ is not God ; but while I 



146 BAPTISTS THOROUGH REFORMERS. 

read the plain declaration of God's Word, " I 
and my Father are one," " He that hath seen 
me, hath seen the Father," I will follow the 
Bible, and let the Unitarian go. The Univer- 
sal ist may tell me that there will be no future 
punishment ; but while I read the plain decla- 
ration of God's Word, "these shall go away 
into everlasting punishment," I will follow 
the Bible, and let the Universalist go. So, too, 
the Pedobaptist may tell me that infants ought 
to be baptized ; but while I read the plain 
declaration, " He that believeth and is baptized, 
shall be saved," " Repent, and be baptized 
every one of you," I will follow the Bible and 
let the Pedobaptist go. Our duty is plain ; for 
God has said, " Write the vision, and make it 
plain upon tables, that he may run that read- 
eth it." 



LECTIJEE IX. 

THE SIXTH FEATURE OF THE REFORM AT WHICH 
BAPTISTS AIM THE RESTORATION OF THE OR- 
DER OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCHES. 

" Then they that gladly received his word, were bap- 
tized And the Lord added to the church, daily, 

such as should be saved." — Acts 2 : 41, 47. 

All professed Christians, who admit that 
the Scriptures contain a model for church or- 
ganization, strenuously maintain that the de- 
nomination with which they are connected, is 
formed after the Scriptural pattern. This is 
true alike of Episcopalians, Presbyterians, 
Methodists, and all others. But it is abundant- 
ly evident, that while these denominations are 
so very dissimilar, they cannot all resemble one 
Scriptural model. It is further evident, that 
some who make pretensions to be " the 
church," are not satisfied to rest their claim to 
that title, simply on a comparison of their or- 
ganization with the New Testament pattern of 
a Gospel church, but very gladly seek to bring 
in evidence from other quarters, by which they 
hope to support their cause. The Fathers, 



148 BAPTISTS 

Tradition, Expediency, are all pressed into 
their service, to supply the lack of evidence 
afforded in Scripture; or, as is sometimes 
the case, to nullify and render powerless its 
direct testimony against them. All this I say, 
is done by those who profess to find, in the 
New Testament alone, a warrant for their 
ecclesiastical systems and organizations. They 
do not seem to perceive, that the very course 
which they adopt to support their claims, 
affords most conclusive evidence that they are 
false and vain. 

But while some appeal to Tradition, and 
others to expediency, it is the glory of the 
Baptists that they act on the principle of the 
sufficiencj 7 of the Bible in testing this, as well 
as all other questions relating to religion. 
Though Jewish antiquity, and the Fathers, 
yield as much or more support to their distinc- 
tive features, as to those who are most clamor- 
ous in demanding submission to them, still 
they prefer to appeal to " the law and to the 
testimony. 35 I announce, as the Sixth Feature 
of the reform at which Baptists aim, 

The Restoration of the Order of the Primi- 
tive Churches. 

It is certain that primitive church order has 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 14:9 

been generally abandoned, from the fact that so 
many different organizations exist, each claim- 
ing to be the gospel church. Now, it is evi- 
dent that not more than one of these dissimilar 
organizations can be constructed after the 
Scripture model. All that is necessary in test- 
ing their claims is, to compare them with the 
New Testament description of a gospel church. 
And any body of Christians that is unwilling 
to be brought to this test must of course give 
up this claim. Let us inquire, 

I. What was the strict Order of the Primi- 
tive Churches ? We can only obtain satisfac- 
tory information on this point from the Word 
of God. The text and its connection present 
to us the circumstances under which the first 
gospel church was formed. From this it will 
be perceived, that first, the gospel was preached, 
then repentance and baptism were urged upon 
the hearers ; " then they that gladly received 
the Wora were baptized ; and the same day 
there ^were added unto them about three thou- 
sand souls. And they continued steadfastly in 
the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in 
breaking of bread, and in prayers. And the 
Lord added daily to the church such as should 
be saved." 



150 BAPTISTS 

1. The Primitive Churches were composed 
only of professed believers. Those who " glad- 
ly received the word." In all the epistles to 
the churches it will be seen that the members 
composing them are addressed as u believers," 
" saints," " chosen ones," " partakers of like pre- 
cious faith " with the apostles ; and even where 
their sins are spoken of, they are alluded to as 
"brethren," who had departed from the faith. 
Dr. D wight says, " There is but one character 
given in the New Testament to those who 
were church members, and that is the character 
of Christians. There is no mixture of any 
other character." 

2. The Primitive churches were composed 
only of baptized believers. By baptized, I 
mean immersed believers. " They that gladly 
received his word were immersed" This is 
the translation — in the common version we 
have only a transfer. Let me, on this point, 
give you a few authorities for this translation, 
as there are some who deny its correctness — 
none, however, of any eminence as scholars. 
The learned Bossuet says : " Baptism was per- 
formed by plunging. In fine, we read not in 
Scripture that baptism was otherwise adminis- 
tered ; and we are able to make it appear, that 
for thirteen hundred years baptism was thus 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 151 

administered throughout the whole church, as 
far as possible." Dr. Doddridge says : " ' Buried 
with him by baptism.' It seems the part of 
candor to confess that here is an allusion to 
the manner of baptizing by immersion, which 
was the primitive mode." John Wesley says : 
"'Buried with him,' alluding to the ancient 
manner of baptizing by immersion." Whitby, 
author of a Commentary on the New Testa- 
ment and more than forty other learned works, 
says : " It being so expressly declared here, that 
we are buried with Christ in baptism, by being 
buried under water, and the argument to 
oblige us to a conformity to his death, by 
dying to sin, being taken from hence ; and 
this immersion being observed by all Chris- 
tians for thirteen centuries, and the change of 
it into sprinkling without any allowance from 
the Author of this institution, being that 
which the Bomanist still urges to justify his 
refusal of the cup to the laity ; it were to be 
wished that this custom might be again of 
general use." Dr. Chalmers says : " The ori- 
ginal meaning of the word baptism is immer- 
sion ; and we doubt not that the general style 
of administration in the apostles' days was by 
an actual submerging of the whole body under 
water." Archbishop Tillotson says : " An- 



152 



BAPTISTS 



ciently those who were baptized were im- 
mersed and buried in water, to represent their 
death to sin ; and then did rise up out of the 
water to signify their entrance upon a new life." 

I might go on and fill a volume with similar 
quotations, from every scholar of any note who 
has ever written upon the subject. In addi- 
tion to this, every lexicon of note gives it a 
meaning, which signifies either an immersion 
into an element, or a complete overwhelming 
with it. 

It is evident, also, from the narration of cir- 
cumstances connected with baptism in the New 
Testament, that immersion was the primitive 
mode. Christ, when he was baptized, came up 
out of the water. When Philip baptized the 
eunuch, he w r ent down into the water with 
him, in order to do it. The apostle Paul, in 
alluding to baptism, twice calls it a burial, and 
once a burial and resurrection. All who be- 
came members of the primitive churches were 
admitted by immersion ; and as none were ad- 
mitted but believers, none but believers were 
immersed. 

3. In the Primitive Churches none were ad- 
mitted to the Lord's table hut those who were 
immersed. Though they were, at the time of 
their conversion, members of the Jewish na- 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 153 

tion, or, as a Pedobaptist would say, of the 
Jewish church, and had been circumcised in 
their infancy, still they must be immersed 
before becoming members, or enjoying the 
privileges of a Christian church. Yea, even 
though they had been proselytes to the Jewish 
religion, and were circumcised after they ar- 
rived at maturity, they must still be immersed, 
when they professed faith in Christ, before they 
could sit down at the Lord's table. It is 
admitted by all, to have been the practice of 
the primitive churches, to receive none but the 
baptized to the Lord's table. 

4. The primitive churches were independent 
in their government. All the members were 
on an equality in each church, and each church 
was on the same equality with every other 
church. There were no bishops, in the sense 
in which that term is used by Roman Catho- 
lics, Episcopalians, and Methodists. There were 
no church sessions, presbyteries, assemblies, 
synods, or conferences. Advisory councils, 
having no power to legislate, were sometimes 
called to give counsel in difficult matters. But 
individual churches possessed supreme author- 
ity to administer discipline, and transact their 
own business. The church was the highest 
court of appeal. 



154 BAPTISTS 

II. Pedobaptists have universally departed 
from the strict Order of the Primitive Churches. 
The first Pedobaptist church was the Church 
of Rome. I presume I need not stop here to 
show that the Romish church does not conform 
to the Scripture model. All Protestants will 
affirm that she does not ; and any one who will 
read the Bible will be convinced of it. Let me 
remind them, however, that in nothing is her 
dissimilarity to gospel churches more palpably 
manifest than in her infant baptism ; and in 
this thing all Pedobaptists are treading in her 
path, while not one of them is conformed to the 
New Testament pattern. For, 

1. They are not composed of the same mate- 
rials. They number among their members 
others than professed believers. Every Pedo- 
baptist church holds that the children of be- 
lievers, when they are baptized, are members 
of the church, and form a part of it. I sub- 
stantiated this assertion by numerous quota- 
tions from printed documents, in my lecture 
on the " Spirituality of Christ's Kingdom." I 
need not, therefore, repeat them here. But I 
remark, in addition to this, that conversion is 
not necessarily a qualification for membership 
in most Pedobaptist churches. 

With Episcopalians, admission to full church 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 155 

privileges is granted to those who have been 
confirmed. The requirements for this service 
are thus stated in their Book of Common 
Prayer : — " The Church hath thought good to 
order, that none shall be confirmed but such as 
can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the 
Ten Commandments, and can also answer to 
such other questions as in the Short Catechism 
are contained." The conditions of admission 
being thus made, irrespective of personal char- 
acter, it cannot be expected that the Episcopal 
church will bear a comparison with that of 
primitive times. Indeed, it will be perceived 
that all that is needed is a good memory, in or- 
der to be confirmed as a member of that church. 
The Presbyterians acknowledge in their 
standard, that " the visible church consists of 
all those throughout the world that profess the 
true religion, together with their children." 
They further say, " Children born within the 
pale of the visible church, and dedicated to 
God in baptism, are under the inspection and 
government of the church, and are to be 
taught to read and repeat the Catechism, the 
Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's Prayer. They 
are to be taught to pray, to abhor sin, to fear 
God, and to obey the Lord Jesus Christ. And 
when they come to years of discretion, if they 



156 



BAPTISTS 



be free from scandal, appear sober and steady, 
and to have sufficient knowledge to discern the 
Lord's body, they ought to be informed it 
is their duty and privilege to come to the 
Lord's supper." * Now, in all this there is 
nothing said about regeneration, repentance, or 
faith. The late Dr. Chalmers, a distinguished 
Presbyterian minister, maintained that it was 
" wrong to say that none hut the pious should 
be admitted to partake of the sacraments," 
while, for the decent regulation of the church, 
"it is well that the visibly profane or profli- 
gate are kept away." As to the duty of a 
minister to the " great majority of our species," 
who are " neither of the profligate or the 
pious," his business is, " not to exclude them, 
but to warn them." A church formed on such 
principles as these certainly cannot claim to be 
identical with the primitive churches. 

In the Methodist body, it is held that a reli- 
gious society is u a company of men, having 
the form and seeking the power of godliness, 
united in order to pray together, to receive the 
word of exhortation, and to watch over one 
another in the Lord, that they may help each 
other to work out their salvation." " There is 
one condition previously required of those who 
* Directory for Worship, cliap. 9, sec. L 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 157 

desire admission into these societies — a desire 
to flee the wrath to come, and to be saved from 
their sins." It is well known that persons 
who give no evidence of conversion are often 
allowed, and even urged, to become " class 
members;" and these "seekers," as they are 
termed, are admitted to the Lord's table. It is 
not necessary according to the Discipline, that 
a man should give evidence of conversion. 
It is certainly not impossible for unconverted 
men to fulfil a term of probation. And thus, 
in almost every Pedobaptist church it may 
: be seen, that conversion is not absolutely in- 
sisted on as a condition of membership on the 
part of adult applicants. 

But what shall we say of their infant mem- 
lership ? We frequently hear of the " children 
of the covenant," and the " children of the 
church," from Pedobaptist pulpits, but do we 
hear any thing of this kind in the N ew Testa- 
ment? Do we find unconverted men addressed 
as members of the church in primitive times, 
or young persons urged to fulfil baptismal 
vows, made for them by their parents, when 
they were unconscious infants ? No, no ! We 
see parents urged to bring their children up in 
"the nurture and admonition of the Lord," but 
we nowhere find this dutv enforced by anv al- 



158 BAPTISTS 

hision to vows made at the dedication of their 
children in baptism. 

Again, those who united with the primitive 
churches came into them voluntarily. It was 
not necessary to look about, and see who were 
"free from scandal," and tell them that it was 
" their duty and privilege to come to the 
Lord's table ; " but, constrained by the love of 
Jesus Christ, they voluntarily sought to profess 
his sacred name. " Here is water, what doth 
hinder me to be baptized?" "If thou believ- 
est with all thy heart, thou mayest." 

2. Pedobaptists do not receive their members 
by the same initiatory rite that the primitive 
churches did. The primitive churches received 
their members by immersion. This was the 
act by w T hich they publicly "put on Christ" 
before the world. A great many Pedobaptist 
authors acknowledge that the primitive saints 
were immersed, and that immersion is the 
proper signification of the terms which are 
used to designate the ordinance. In addition 
to those already quoted, I remark that Calvin 
says : " Here we perceive how baptism was ad- 
ministered among the ancients; for they im- 
mersed the whole body in water." Bishop 
Taylor says : " The custom of the ancient 
churches was not sprinkling, but immersion," 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 159 

Now, we know that Pedobaptist churches 
receive the majority of their members, not by 
immersion, but by sprinkling. Some may be 
immersed, but it is only after every argument 
to dissuade them from it has failed. The prac- 
tice of these churches is sprinkling, the excep- 
tions are immersion. In the primitive churches 
there was " one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 53 
and that was immersion. Here, then, is a 
striking dissimilarity between all Pedobaptist 
churches and the primitive churches. The lat- 
ter were composed of immersed believers. 
The former are composed of a mixed multi- 
tude of believers and unbelievers, sprinkled, 
poured, and immersed. The language ad- 
dressed to the primitive churches cannot be 
addressed to them. " For as many of you as 
have been baptized into Christ have put on 
Christ.*' Have infants put on Christ ? " There- 
fore we are buried with him by baptism into 
death.' 7 Can any Pedobaptist minister address 
his church thus? " Buried with him in bap- 
tism, wherein also ye are risen with him 
through faith of the operation of God." Can 
this language be appropriately addressed to a 
Pedobaptist church ? K~o ; so far from it, 
many Pedobaptists do not like to read it in 
their Bibles, But still further ; a Pedobaptist 



160 BAPTISTS 

preacher cannot stand up, in a Pedobaptist 
community, and address unconverted men as 
the primitive disciples did : " Repent, and be 
baptized, every one of you." They have been 
baptized, as they call it, already. From all 
this it is evident that Pedobaptist churches are 
very dissimilar to the churches in the times of 
the apostles, and to the teachings of the New 
Testament. 

3. There is a wide dissimilarity between Pe- 
dobaptist churches and the primitive churches, 
in reference to the Lord's Supper. In the prim- 
itive churches, all who were baptized, and 
members of the church, were admitted to the 
Lord's table. None, who were considered 
proper subjects of baptism, and who had re- 
ceived that rite, were excluded from the com- 
munion. But Pedobaptists contend that infants 
are proper subjects, and that sprinkling is the 
proper mode. Every infant who is sprinkled, 
then, according to their view, is properly bap- 
tized, and is a member in the visible church 
and ought, according to their own reasoning, 
to be admitted to the Lord's table. Pedobap- 
tists are most inveterate close communionists. 
They are very eloquent against the bigotry 
and closeness of the Baptists, for not admitting 
members of Pedobaptist churches to the Lord's 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 161 

table ; but surety they should not expect us to 
receive persons whom we consider unbaptized, 
when they will not receive their own baptized 
members. All whom we consider baptized, 
and who are members of our churches, we 
receive ; so did the primitive churches. But 
Pedobaptists have large numbers, whom they 
consider baptized members of their churches, 
whom they do not admit to the Lord's table. 
This is a kind of " close communion v that we 
have never practised. 

4. There is a dissimilarity in the govern- 
ment of Pedobaptist churches and. the "primitive 
churches. One was independent ; the other is 
arbitrary, despotic, and tyrannical. I exhibited 
this fully in my lecture on the " Equality of 
Christ's Disciples," and therefore need not 
repeat the arguments here. 

III. Baptists aim to Bestore the Order of 
the Primitive Churches. They make no appeal 
to tradition, the Fathers, or expediency. They 
simply ask, "What do the Scriptures teach ?" 
They follow the New Testament model of a 
church, and invite all to test them by it. It is 
not strange, therefore, that they confidently 
appeal to God's Word for proof of the correct- 
ness of all they do. They take it all from the 



162 



BAPTISTS 



Bible, and therefore they know it can all be 
found there. Take any Scripture account of 
the course pursued by the apostles, or of the 
practice of gospel churches, and you will find 
the counterpart in a Baptist church. 

Like the primitive churches, they are com- 
posed of immersed believers. Show us an 
instance of the baptism of an infant in the 
primitive churches, and we will then baptize 
infants. But until you do, we will oppose 
infant sprinkling as an innovation of man, 
having no divine authority, and therefore sin- 
ful, when performed in the name of Jehovah. 

Like the primitive churches, Baptists admit 
none to the Lord's table but those who are 
immersed on profession of their faith. Show 
us an instance of a gospel church doing other- 
wise, and we will conform to the model. 

Like the primitive churches, Baptists are 
independent in their government. Show us -a 
pope, or bishop, or conference, or synod, or 
presbytery, or council, authorized to govern the 
church, and we will submit to just such author- 
ity as you can show us in the Bible. 

Our position in these matters is illustrated 
by a narrative contained in a tract, published 
by the American Tract Society, entitled " Mick 
Healy, the Bible Keader." Mick had been a 






THOROUGH REFORMERS. 163 

strict Roman Catholic for fifty years. One day 
he accidentally found a Bible, and commenced 
reading it. The more he read, the more he 
neglected the Romish service. The priest at 
length heard of it, and visited Mick, and sought 
to get the Bible from him. Failing in this, he 
began to expostulate with him. He told him 
he must not read it any more ; and reminding 
him that he had not been to confession for a 
long time, he told him he must come and 
confess, for it was his duty. Mick held out 
the Bible to the priest, and said, " Will your 
riverince please to show it to me in the Book/' 
K"ow this is just what we say to all the argu- 
ments of Pedobaptists. They tell us that all 
Christian parents should have their infant 
children sprinkled. We say > " Will you please 
to show it to us in the Book." They tell us 
that sprinkling will do as well as to go "down 
into the water," and be " buried in baptism/ 3 
and " come up out of the water." We say, 
" Will you please to show it to us in the Book." 
After some time, Mick united with a Pro- 
testant church, and regularly attended the Sun- 
day-school. The children used frequently to 
gather round him, and put questions to him, to 
hear his answers : — " Well, Mick, why don't 
you now pray to the Virgin Mary ? " " Because 



164 BAPTISTS 

it is not in the Boob." " Why don't you now 
confess your sins to Peter and Paul, Mick ? " 
" Because it is not in the Book." " Why do 
you believe the Bible to be sufficient to make 
you wise unto salvation, without tradition?" 
"Oh, sure, it is all in the Book." " Must 
every thing in religion be proved by the Bible, 
Mick ? " " Yes ; whatever is not so, is only 
moonshine." Now ourPedobaptist friends ask 
us why we do not sprinkle infants ; we reply 
" It is not in the Book." They wish to know 
why we " go down into the water," and immerse 
those who believe, and "come up out of the 
water." We reply, with Mick, " Oh, sure, it 
is all in the Book." They ask us why we do 
not admit to the Lord's table with us those who 
are unbaptized. We reply, "It is not in the 
Book ; and whatever is not in the Book is only 
moonshine." We aim to be Bible Christians, 
and to make our churches Bible churches. In 
upholding Baptist sentiments, we simply aim 
to perpetuate primitive Christianity. 

We resemble the primitive Christians in 
another respect — we are " every where spoken 
against." This we expect, so long as men fol- 
low Tradition rather than the Word of God, 
and are influenced by the teachings of men, 
rather than by the example of Christ ; but 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 165 

when the Bible, — and especially the Bible faith- 
fully translated, — is made the standard, then 
we shall triumph. We make no arrogant 
assumptions ; we utter no idle boast ; but we 
simply use the language of humble confidence 
and firm faith. 

The progress of the Baptist denomination 
can be arrested only by taking the Bible away 
from the people ; for, while they possess that, 
in spite of priests and princes, scaffolds and 
faggots, tortures and death, some will be found, 
as in all ages some have been found, who will 
contend for primitive simplicity, primitive 
purity, primitive order. On the other hand, 
Pedobaptism can only succeed by withholding 
the Bible from the people, or veiling the com- 
mand to be immersed in an unknown tongue, 
or calling human tradition to support it, and 
enlisting carnal weapons to defend it. But its 
days are numbered ; it is in its decline. Its 
end approaches ; and soon will be heard the 
vocal shout, " Babylon the great is fallen, is 
fallen/' and Borne, and all that is Komish, 
infant sprinkling and all, shall be destroyed. 
And so let it be ! 

Do not imagine, from these remarks, that I 
cherish any feelings of animosity toward those 
who practice infant baptism. No; far from it. 



166 BAPTISTS THOROUGH REFORMERS. 

I sincerely pity them. Especially do I pity the 
priests and ministers who are engaged in de- 
fending it. So much labor in vain — so much 
pains for nought. Has not Christ said, " Every 
plant which my heavenly Father hath not plant- 
ed shall be rooted up ? " Oh, how much better 
to come out on Gospel ground, take the Bible 
and follow Christ, and enjoy the sweet and 
abiding confidence that you have done what 
is right ! 



LECTUBE X. 

GOD'S DISPLEASURE "WITH THOSE WHO REMAIN 
SINFULLY NEUTRAL IN A WORK OF REFORM. 

Judges v. 23. — " Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the 
Lord, Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because 
they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the 
Lord against the mighty." 

In almost every work of Reform there have 
been those who, while their judgments have 
been convinced of the correctness of the views 
of the reforming party, have, nevertheless, 
ingloriously consulted their own ease, and have 
chosen to occupy a neutral position during the 
struggle, and thus be prepared, at the termina- 
tion of the conflict, to avoid the reproach of 
the Reformers, if unsuccessful, or share their 
honors, if triumphant. It was this spirit that 
actuated the inhabitants of Meroz, who were 
anathematized by Jehovah for the course they 
adopted. Those who are here referred to, 
were Israelites ; their nation had been mightily 
oppressed for twenty years by Jabin, the king 
of Canaan. This was during the time that 



168 BAPTISTS 

Deborah judged Israel. Wearied with oppres- 
sion, the descendants of Abraham cried unto 
the Lord for deliverance. He heard their cry, 
and directed them to go forth against Sisera, 
the captain of the host of Jabin, promising to 
deliver their enemies into their hand. The 
Merozites, desiring to retain the favor of the 
Canaanites, who were very powerful, and yet 
not wishing to bear arms against their brethren, 
remained at home, and occupied a position of 
shameful neutrality. Meanwhile, the hosts of 
Israel, under Barak, having vanquished their 
enemies, returned in triumph, with songs of 
thanksgiving. 

But the indolent, time-serving inhabitants 
of Meroz, learned that they could not reject the 
claims of their country and their God w T ith 
impunity. God was displeased with them ; 
and instead of permitting them to share the 
triumph of their brethren, he places them under 
his malediction, and directs their own country- 
men to bitterly execrate them : " Curse ye 
Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye 
bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they 
came not to the help of the Lord, to the help 
of the Lord against the mighty." The Isra- 
elites were engaged in God's work — a work of 
Reform. The Merozites, who should have 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 169 

been interested in that work, and assisted in it, 
refused to do so. For this they were cursed by 
Jehovah. My theme is, 

God's Displeasure with those who remain 
Sinfully Xeetral in a work of Reform. 

In dwelling on this topic, I will present for 
your consideration a few propositions which 
will serve to elucidate it. 

I. God carries on all Reforms through Hu- 
man Instrumentality. Ever since man fell, 
the work of Reform has been going on in the 
world, under the direction of Jehovah ; and 
every work that tends to make man better and 
happier, and bring him back to entire con- 
formity to God's will, is really His work, 
though carried on by human instrumentality. 
Thus, when he would disseminate the knowl- 
edge of his will and holy character among 
mankind, he raised up, and prepared, and used 
the Jewish nation, as the instruments, to whom 
a revelation of himself was entrusted. When 
that nation forgot him, and degenerated into 
idolatry, he raised up prophets to reform them. 
Elijah, and Isaiah, and Jeremiah, were great 
Reformers. When they, the chosen and pecu- 
liar people of God, rejected the Messiah, and 
crucified the Saviour as an impostor, he did 



i 



170 BAPTISTS 

not turn from man, and seek angelic powers ; 
but, through the apostles, he called the Gen- 
tiles into his kingdom, to be co-workers in the 
world's redemption. When the simplicity of 
Christianity became corrupted by its connec- 
tion w r ith paganism, in the days of Constantine, 
he still employed human instrumentality to 
testify against this departure from the faith. 
When, at a later day, the Romish Church had 
corrupted every doctrine, and polluted, by her 
unholy touch, every ordinance of the Gospel, 
he raised up Luther, Zuingle, Calvin, and 
others, as the instruments of effecting the Pro- 
testant Reformation. When these Reformed 
churches, still retaining somewhat of the spirit 
of Romajiism, formed an unhallowed alliance 
with the State, and enlisted carnal weapons in 
their support, God brought forth the Baptists 
to assert the spirituality of Christ's kingdom, 
and the rights of conscience, and the great 
Bible doctrine of religious liberty and individ- 
ual responsibility to God. When the Christian 
church had forgotten the great command, u Go, 
teach all nations," God raised up William 
Carey, to draw their attention to it, and through 
him originated the sublime work of Modern 
Missions which bids fair to reform the world, 
and produce a complete moral revolution. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 171 

Thus, in every reform, God has used human 
instrumentality; and thus, if infant baptism, 
and sprinkling be a perversion of his ordi- 
nance, (as we think, in the preceding Lectures 
we have clearly shown it to be,) he will reform 
it by human instrumentality. 

II. In almost every Work of Reform, some 
have remained Sinfully Neutral. There is a 
difference, it must be admitted, between sinful 
enmity or direct opposition to a work, and indo- 
lent, selfish neutrality. It was wrong for the 
Canaanites to oppress the Israelites ; but, it is 
difficult to decide, whether their active opposi- 
tion was, under the circumstances, any more 
criminal than the inactivity of Meroz. The 
latter knew that it was their duty to aid their 
brethren. They knew they were right, and 
that they needed assistance ; and they knew, 
also, that their neutrality might possibly be the 
occasion of their defeat. Still, they came not 
up to help them, but left them to struggle on 
alone. Thus it has often been, when God 5 s 
servants have gone forth to engage in the work 
of Reform. The correctness of their principles, 
the purity of their motives, the benevolence of 
their designs, have forced the conviction on 
many who have witnessed their efforts, that 
they were right ; and yet they have never 



172 BAPTISTS 

moved a hand to aid them, or uttered a word to 
encourage them, but have contented themselves 
with occupying a merely neutral position. 
They do not openly oppose the work ; they do 
not enroll themselves among its enemies ; but 
they are not prepared to make the sacrifices 
which a noble and manly advocacy of the truth 
demands of them. They fear that they may 
sustain injury in their business, perhaps. The 
most wealthy and influential members of the 
community are opposed to the work, and they 
will withdraw their patronage. Or, they dread 
the sundering of social ties, it may be. Their 
relatives and friends are committed to that 
which the Reform aims to correct or remove, 
and they cannot bear the thought of arraying 
themselves against the errors which friends 
love ; they esteem their relatives more highly 
than the truth. Or, the open advocacy of what 
they feel to be right, will subject them to re- 
proach. They will be called weak-minded, 
changelings, fanatical, deserters. Or, they will 
be compelled to unite with a weak body, which 
is greatly in the minority, and heavy burdens 
will rest upon them. Or, they are not certain 
that the efforts of the reforming party will suc- 
ceed, and they dread the disgrace of a defeat. 
They forget that it is more honorable to be 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 173 

defeated while contending for truth, than to be 
victorious on the side of error. These things 
all combine to lead them to practice a time- 
serving neutrality. Like the Merozites, they 
come not up to the help of the Lord, and thus 
incur his displeasure. 

It was thus in the days of Neheniiah, when he 
gathered the Jews together to build the walls 
of Jerusalem ; " The nobles put not their necks 
to the work of the Lord." It was thus in the 
days of Christ and the apostles. Thus it was, 
also, in later times. Who can tell how many, 
during the fierce persecutions under Antiochus 
Epiphanes, the Romish Papacy, and the Eng- 
lish Episcopacy, were led to adopt a neutral 
position, and act in direct opposition to what 
they knew to be right ? So it is now ; many 
persons see a thing to be right, and acknowl- 
edge it to be so ; and yet they will not come 
up to the help of the Lord, because they must 
come up " against the mighty." 

Thus it has often been with the Reform in 
which Baptists are engaged. A Baptist congre- 
gation has seldom been organized for any 
length of time in a Pedobaptist community, 
without leading many to the conclusion that 
they were more Scriptural and nearer to the 
Gospel pattern, than the Pedobaptists. While 



174 BAPTISTS 

some Christians, acting in accordance with such 
convictions, have submitted to immersion, and 
boldly committed themselves to the cause of 
truth, others, equally convinced of the truth, 
have continued to practice a time-serving neu- 
trality. Thus it may be, perchance, with some 
who read these Lectures. Convinced of the 
evils of infant baptism, and of the necessity 
and importance of its removal, they may choose, 
still, not to identify themselves with those who 
are laboring to effect what they feel to be right. 
Like Meroz, they will not come " up to the 
help of the Lord against the mighty." 

III. God is necessarily Displeased with such 
Conduct. " Curse ye Meroz, curse ye bitterly 
the inhabitants thereof." All sin is offensive 
to God, and occasions his displeasure ; but sins 
against light and knowledge, are especially 
heinous in his sight. Such is the nature of 
the sin we are contemplating — the neglect of 
known duty. A person may oppose a work of 
reform from conscientious motives, while he 
believes that work to be wrong ; but let him 
be convinced that reform is necessary — that 
the purity of the Church of Christ, the good 
of souls, and the glory of God are connected 
with its success, and he cannot then oppose it 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 175 

without guilt. A man whose judgment is 
thus convinced about a matter, occupies a far 
different and more responsible position than 
one who is in doubt concerning the propriety 
of it, or than he himself did before such con- 
viction. He cannot remain in a neutral posi- 
tion, without sinning against conscience. Sup- 
pose a Romanist is convinced of the errors of 
Popery ; he could not, after such conviction, 
remain in the Romish church, without the addi- 
tional aggravation of sinning against his con- 
science. So of Pedobaptism, or any other 
error; when a person is convinced that it is 
wrong it becomes his duty to abandon it, and 
aid those who seek to exterminate it. God is 
always displeased with half-heartedness in his 
service, and some of the severest denunciations 
of his Word are against those who occupy a 
merely neutral position. 

In the exercise of this displeasure, God fre- 
quently withdraws the smile of his counte- 
nance. A sense of obligations violated, and 
duty neglected, prevents the enjoyment of his 
favor ; and whether that duty be a great or 
small one, if wilfully neglected, God is dis- 
pleased and the soul feels it. He sometimes 
sends temporal afflictions. A man neglects 
known duty, for fear his business will suffer ; 



176 BAPTISTS 

God brings reverses and losses upon him, 
against which, with all his cunning, he failed 
to secure himself. He consults the wishes of 
his friends; they prove false to him. He 
dreads to sever himself from his relatives ; God 
removes them from him by death. Or, if none 
of these calamities come upon him, there are 
other consequences which cannot be avoided. 
Conscience will upbraid, and the mind will 
often be perplexed, and distracted with anxiety. 
Then, in the event of the success of the reform- 
ing party, such are always objects of shame and 
contempt. They are regarded as the mere 
chips and straws, that float with the current. 
They are never depended upon in times of 
trial ; and thus they often bring upon them- 
selves more keen reproach than the true Refor- 
mer ever suffers. He endures reproach for the 
Truth's sake ; they suffer it justly, for their 
recreancy to the Truth. The Reformer glories 
in the reproach he is called to suffer — it is his 
honor. They feel that they are dishonored, 
and deserve to be. They are generally disap- 
pointed in their expectations, and find that 
their wdsdom is but folly, and their gain but 
loss. Look at the Merozites. What did they 
gain by their sinful neutrality ? While Israel 
rejoice and triumph, Meroz is dishonored and 
execrated. 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 177 

In concluding these Lectures, permit me to 
address, First, those who are members of the 
Baptist denomination. Brethren, great and 
important principles are involved in our action. 
Let us be faithful to the trust committed to us. 
On the propagation of our principles in this 
country, depends all that is dear to us as Chris- 
tians, as Americans, as men. The Baptist ele- 
ment alone, in our country has preserved reli- 
gious freedom and the rights of conscience. 
Baptists alone, are prepared consistently and 
successfully to meet and oppose those various 
and gigantic forms of error, which retard the pro- 
gress and prevent the triumphs of the Gospel. 
Let us stand faithfully by those hallowed truths 
in defence of which myriads have gone to the 
scaffold and the rack, and firm adherence to 
which dyed even American soil with Baptist 
blood. Let us come up a to the help of the Lord 
against the mighty,' 5 and effect a complete and 
thorough reform, by the exaltation of pure 
Bible truth, unmixed with human inventions 
and the traditions of men ! 

Secondly, I address a word to those who are 
Baptists in sentiment, but who are not united 
with Baptist churches. Many such are found 
in almost every community. Why tarry ye ? 
Are you not copying the conduct of Meroz ? 



178 BAPTISTS 

Beware, lest you incur God's displeasure, by 
your sinful neglect of known duty. " That 
servant who knew his Lord's will, and did it 
not, shall be beaten with many stripes." 

Thirdly, those not Pedobaptists. There 
are large numbers in Pedobaptist churches 
who, while they cannot see that immersion is 
essential to baptism, still do not believe that 
infants ought not to be baptized. To such I 
say, You are convinced that the baptism of 
infants is unscriptural and wrong. Why, then, 
continue in a church that teaches what you 
know is contrary to the Bible ? Further, have 
you been baptized since infancy, yourselves ? 
If not, then, according to your own showing, 
you have not been scripturally baptized, and 
you are neglecting the first duty of the believer. 
" He that believeth and is baptized, shall be 
saved." 

Finally, to those who are Pedobaptists I 
would say, If you have carefully read the pre- 
ceding Lectures, you certainly can no longer 
wonder at the importance which Baptists attach 
to the proper subjects and mode of baptism. 
It is connected with views of the spirituality 
of Christ's kingdom, and individual responsi- 
bility, that are far from insignificant in their 
bearings. Be not surprised, then, if, moved 



THOROUGH REFORMERS. 179 

with love to Christ, and love to the souls of 
men, they labor to induce investigation on this 
subject among Christians, that Pedobaptists 
may proselyte themselves to Bible sentiments. 
" Prove all things, hold fast that which is 
good." 



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